Deception
by AmethystB
Summary: The romance between Devan and Woody is blooming, but just how long will it last? When will the relationship reach breaking point, and when it does, who will survive the fall?
1. Prologue

**A/N: **Okies, this is my BIG fic...the one with lots of romance. However, since this is only the prologue, it will just be a short chapter to ease into everything. Please read "Gloating" before reading this since this fic features references made in that prequel.

**Pairing: **Devan/Woody  
**Rating: **PG-13 for mature themes, violence and sexual references  
**Summary: **_A fatal attraction. And a tragic accident. _The romance between Devan Maguire and Woody Hoyt is blooming, but just how long will it last? With one of them covering up a shocking past and the other trying to overcome what wasn't, problems soon arise for the pair. When will the relationship reach breaking point, and when it does, who will survive the fall? _Deception is rising in us all..._

**Deception: Prologue**

* * *

A piercing scream in the night could not penetrate even the most sensitive of ears if it was silent. The dead of night chilled the air as its one victim fell prey to the hands of a killer. But this victim was not alone in its quiet suffering, for there was a small child being sacrificed as well. The deaths of the two innocent victims would not go unpunished, though it would be a struggle to accuse just one killer without the most important of all evidence available: the bodies.

* * *

A park, though normally silent, was now a scene of panic and curiosity, as a sealed area had been taped off around a fell of shrubbery and large trees. Police squads and detectives swarmed the chaotic scene as prying onlookers were blocked out one by one by security. One detective in particular was trying desperately to understand just what had taken place the night before, as he waited impatiently for the Medical Examiners to arrive. 

"Detective Hoyt?"

The impatient man turned around to face one of his co-workers, another detective who had been called to work on the case. Detective Adrian Lenning.

"Yeah," Woody answered with perked eyebrows, awaiting an answer.

The younger, blonde detective hesitated a moment before continuing. "What, exactly, are we looking for, here?"

Woody shrugged in contempt. "Anything that gives us evidence a murder occurred here last night."

Detective Lenning placed his hands on his hips and took another vague look at the taped off area. "Well, so far we have the blood."

Sure enough, there was a large pool of blood gathered neatly underneath an equally large tree, right in the center of the restricted area. In contrast to the green grass beneath it, the blood looked startlingly fresh, though it was in fact several hours old. The pool spanned at least ten feet in diameter, and was slightly spilled to one side, where the slender decline of land was. An odd place indeed to kill someone.

"Woody."

Detective Hoyt looked once again behind him to find a familiar face. "Devan, hi."

Devan Maguire looked beyond Woody in an attempt to steal a look at the actual crime scene, though all she could see was the tip of the pool of blood. "Hey. I was called in for a murder…"

"Yeah," Woody interrupted skilfully. "About that…well, there's a slight problem."

Devan tilted her head. "And that would be…?"

Inclining his head slightly towards the left, Woody took a deep breath. "We don't actually have the body."

Devan raised her eyebrows and stared at the detective in front of her. "What?" Not even waiting for an answer, she continued angrily. "Woody, I was called down here for a _murder_ investigation, not a phantom one."

Woody stretched his hands out in front of him to place upon Devan's shoulders, but she shook them off. "Listen, Devan…"

"Woody, you just-"

"At least," Woody curled his arm around the examiner's waist and steered her towards the enclosed area, "take a look at the crime scene."

Reluctantly agreeing, Devan gave Woody a scathing look before ducking under the tape. "Fine."

She began searching her eyes through the pool of blood and lifted a sample up with her gloved finger. Skimming down towards the lower end of the puddle, she came across a displaced substance and knew immediately what it was.

Lifting her chin to face Woody, she dug her eyebrows in a deep frown. "Well, judging from the temperature, we have about an eight-hour old blood sample and traces of semen, so I'm guessing our perp was male."

Woody nodded. "And our victim female."

Standing off her haunches, Devan looked closer at the blood from a further distance. "Now all we have to do is find out who the samples belong to."

Turning his head to one side, Woody noticed something strange. "The blood," he said pointing to a particular area, "is two different colours."

Devan looked down once again and this time the sun streamed down on the area Woody was pointing to, illuminating the shades of blood. "One area's darker. A lot darker."

Woody smirked at her. "And so the plot thickens."


	2. An Interesting Lead

**A/N: **I'm back! And I forgot to say last time that this fic will lead up to Fire From The Sky, with each episode being a set time apart from the last one. I think the total time between the beginning of this fic and Fire From The Sky is about a month, give or take a few days.

**FrenchKissingWoody: **Wow…I'm wondering why your mum didn't like your name…anyway, thanks for the review! How's Salsa Girl going? Looking forward to that one. Ah, you are really going to hate this fic cause it's completely anti-Jordan/Woody. Oh and look out for the 'donations to the bank' in this chapter…I wrote it before you told me about Tomcats and I didn't want to say anything about it…enjoy it!

**bigandcarrie: **Trust me, I can't get enough of Devan/Woody either! I just wish there was more of it…thanks for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**LeoDiabla: **Thanks, Dylan! Lots of good, encouraging words…rock on! Thanks for your review and I hope you keep enjoying this fic!

Oh and this fic will have a few religious references so if anyone is offended by it, please tell me so I can change it.

**Deception  
****Chapter 1: An Interesting Lead**

* * *

Garret Macy paced inside of his comfortable, yet somewhat unstable office, flitting through some files Jordan had given to him that morning. She had seemed distracted and unsure about what it was she should do, since the morgue had been quiet lately. No major deaths, no calculated murders, no bodies stuffed in absurd places…none of that. Yes, quiet was indeed the word to describe the city's resident morgue. 

However, something soon disturbed the peace as the doors were flung open and a flustered Devan Maguire stormed through, Woody not far behind her.

"…you shouldn't assume that you're going to just be handed your murderer and that's one case solved," Woody ranted defensively a step behind the blonde Medical Examiner.

"And you," Devan turned fleetingly around to face Woody, her curls springing along to the side, "shouldn't assume that I'm going to be in a good mood after you wake me up and call me in for a murder, which wasn't even a murder in the first place!"

Woody sidestepped to catch up when Devan turned a corner. "Well we don't know that! But the likelihood of a murder in the park is pretty high."

"For all we know a woman could've given birth this morning," Devan sighed when she turned around only to face Woody standing in the doorway to her small office. "Move."

He did obligingly, though he followed her in before she could shut the door in his face. "Then how do you explain the semen sample you found?"

"Woody," Devan planted her palms down on her desk and turned her head to the side. "I have a lot of paperwork to finish now, so until you can find a plausible cause to annoy me, go do some police work."

Woody leaned against the door indignantly. "I was until you thought it was a waste of time."

"Well no one said you had to drive me back here, did they?" Devan sat heavily down in her chair before sighing and flicking through her work.

Woody lifted his hands in protest. "You don't have a licence anymore, remember? Besides, I thought you'd appreciate it."

Looking up from the tip of her papers, Devan smiled. "Thank you, but a taxi suits me fine. Now get out." She looked at Woody's offended face and sighed impatiently. "Please?"

The detective glared childishly at Devan before nodding. "Fine. I'll go test that semen sample you picked up. That would classify as police work, wouldn't it?"

Devan shrugged without looking up. "Not exactly, but it's a start."

Without turning around, Woody twisted the door handle until he heard it click. "That's why they call me a detective."

"Yeah, and this is why they call me a Medical Examiner," Devan said while looking around the room. "Call me when you find some new evidence."

Woody frowned at the obvious emphasis the young doctor played on the word 'new'. "And I thought we were friends," he said playfully before exiting the room and closing the door behind him.

From her paperwork, Devan smirked at Woody's falsetto. This case could get very interesting, indeed.

* * *

Nigel was lost in his thoughts. He just could not understand how someone could die from making potato salad. Before him lay a middle-aged man lying on the autopsy table, chest fully opened to reveal his vital organs. Sidney had conducted a full autopsy; though there was no sign of hemorrhaging, no sign of the man suffering from a stroke, or a heart attack…nothing. He had just dropped dead in his kitchen, with his wife and two children looking on helplessly. 

Nigel had been told the family was having a barbeque and their friends and relatives were supposed to be coming around. It was going to be a reunion to celebrate the man's job promotion. His wife had been preparing the meatloaf while his children were watching television. Just a normal day, Nigel supposed, and something like that had happened. A cruel twist of fate.

"Hey, Nigel."

The man jumped with surprise and turned to face Jordan, whose equally surprised expression told him she hadn't expected him to jump. "Hi, Jordan."

Jordan nodded slowly while looking down at the operating table where the man lay naked, except for the synthetic blue shorts covering below his torso. "Wow, he was young."

Nodding his solemn agreement, Nigel flicked off the above monitor. "Yeah. George Gray, twenty-eight years of age. A wife and two children."

Jordan sighed. "Hate it when that happens. How did he die?"

Nigel looked up enigmatically, directing his eyes into Jordan's. "In all honesty, I have no idea. There are no signs of…anything that can lead to death in this man. I ran some tests on his blood for an indication of diseases, cancer or anything like that, and they've all come up negative. He just dropped dead at seven this morning."

Jordan frowned. "Exactly seven?"

Nigel nodded solemnly once again. "Exactly seven."

"Wow," Jordan replied. "Well, call me if you find anything; I'd like to help. In the meantime I'm going to check out that guy in autopsy two with a bullet lodged in his brain."

Jordan waved a quick goodbye before exiting the room, Nigel staring after her for a moment before going back to his corpse. "Good luck, Love."

* * *

No matter what she tried, Devan just couldn't settle with her paperwork. She knew she should be working with Woody on his case but that kiss the two of them had shared the other night seemed to haunt her whenever she was with him. That unacknowledged awkwardness between them was apparent, but tolerable, and yet she couldn't figure out why it was constantly on her mind. After all, it _was _just a mistake and both had acknowledged that. So…why was it so awkward? 

She remembered it clearly; his soft lips on hers, the hand on her cheek, then the slip of the thumb indicating he had made a mistake in kissing her. The way his eyebrows had been lined in a frown and the frustrated look he gave to no one in particular…he clearly wasn't over Jordan, so…why had he kissed her?

"Devan?"

She looked up from her desk to see a familiar face standing in the doorway. Lily Lebowski wore an anxious look that told Devan she was wanted.

"Woody's at the front desk for you. He said something about the friendship being in jeopardy…" Lily trailed off with a confused look while Devan stood from her chair and smiled.

"Thanks, Lily."

The grief counsellor waved a quick goodbye before walking down one side of the hall, while Devan began walking down the other towards the front desk…where Woody was waiting with a folder full of papers.

He spotted Devan walking and waved the folder out to her. "Devan, I know the friendship's in serious jeopardy, but you're not exactly going to love me for this."

Devan shook her head slowly and frowned. "No…why, what is it?"

When Devan reached him, Woody handed her the folder and steered her towards the door. "A profile on an Adam Moore. He's our semen donor…and a regular at that. According to the local clinic, Moore used to donate once a month for two years…until he developed testicular cancer a year ago. It was too far developed to be cured through chemotherapy so he had to have it removed. A month ago the clinic was broken in to and two samples of his semen went missing."

Devan noticed Woody's car parked out the front of the morgue. "Right…so why did you hand me the file when you just told me the whole story?"

"Because there's more," Woody replied. They were outside and close enough to his car for the central locking to open it. "He and his wife had been looking for a surrogate for the past three years because she was infertile. Turns out she did the disappearing act on her husband nine months ago."

Devan walked around the car to step into the passenger's seat. "Again you tell me everything."

Woody turned the key in the ignition and the car started. "Just read. We have a long drive ahead of us."

Devan sighed and flicked through the papers. "Great. Anyway, how did you find out that sample belonged to this Moore guy? Isn't that kind of access restricted in these clinics?"

Woody flicked his eyes and looked wistfully at Devan. "I have a few friends at that clinic." She gave him a look. "Not for me, personally!"

A small smirk appeared on Devan's features. "Right."

* * *

"Hey, Bug," Jordan greeted the ever-articulate scientist, who was testing a blood sample in the laboratory. "I just got your message." 

Bug looked up from the bench he was working at and slipped off his goggles. "Jordan, you might want to take a look at this."

He waved her over to the bench while walking over to the closest computer screen. "I was running a few tests on the blood sample Devan found this morning…" Bug trailed off and typed something on the screen. "…and I came up with something peculiar."

Jordan flicked her eyes over the screen and waited for Bug's explanation. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Thought you might be interested," Bug looked almost hurtful, then the look completely disappeared. "Besides, Devan took off with Woody. Now, since Devan picked up two blood samples out of curiosity, I did similar tests to both of them."

Jordan nodded. "This is all very interesting, Bug…but what exactly is your point here…?"

"Well," Bug began, "while there was no match on the actual DNA, there are in fact two different types of blood, as Devan suspected. One of them is of a full-grown female, and the other is male…and a child."

"A child," Jordan echoed.

Bug glanced briefly at the computer. "A child of about nine to ten months old."

"So," Jordan muttered, "we're looking at double homicide here."

* * *

"Is this it?" 

Woody glanced fleetingly at the file Devan was holding and nodded decisively. "Yeah." He promptly pulled the release on the door and stepped out of the car, Devan following suit, still holding the file firmly.

When they neared the door, Woody gently grabbed the young Medical Examiner's arm and leaned in slightly. "Remember, this guy is our main suspect in a homicide investigation so try not to provoke him."

Devan smirked at Woody's worried face and countered his whisper with her own. "I won't if you don't, Woody."

Woody released his grip on her arm and she walked slowly around him and up to the door, knocking loudly where there was a glass frame. Looking around the front garden, Devan could see what was once a small lion fountain, but now there were several cracks in the sides and a large chunk had been removed from the stone base. There was also no water in it. Woody noticed this too and gave Devan one of 'those' looks. She ignored it, of course.

There was a rustling noise behind the door and eventually the handle twisted, revealing a tall, blonde man whose pale green eyes peered expectantly at the two. Woody took the lead immediately, stepping slightly in front of Devan.

"I'm Detective Hoyt from the Boston Police Department. This is Doctor Maguire from the M.E.'s office. We have a few questions regarding a homicide investigation." The man looked vaguely horrified and ushered them both in quickly.

Woody flicked an anxious look towards Devan before continuing. "You are Adam Moore, I presume…?"

The man nodded. "That's right. But I don't know anything about a murder, I swear."

When they were in the living room, Woody carelessly took a seat on the plastic-covered leather couch, Devan following suit quickly. "Mr. Moore, that's what they all say. Anyway, it would help if you had an alibi for around twelve last night and seven this morning."

Adam Moore frowned suspiciously at Woody, then at Devan. "I would like to know why I am being questioned, thank you."

Woody nodded. "Right, of course. Doctor Maguire…?"

Devan gave Woody an annoyed look before turning her complete attention to the blonde man being questioned. She pulled a pen out from her jacket pocket and gestured towards the file she was holding. "We found a sample of your semen at a crime scene this morning at approximately seven thirty."

Adam Moore nodded slowly. "May I ask where this crime scene was exactly?"

"Is," Woody cut in. "The local Boston naturist park. A jogger had been running along a specified path when he spotted the blood, but there was no body. He called the police and waited until we arrived. Doctor Maguire found the semen, which evidently belongs to you. But…I don't know how that's possible since you can't…produce anymore."

A laugh resounded from Adam Moore. "You're asking me? I haven't been able to produce since a year ago. And now you're telling me that some of _my_ semen just appears at a random crime scene."

"Yeah," Woody shook his head, "but see, this wasn't random. Someone targeted whoever was murdered, and I'm guessing someone targeted you, as well."

"Meaning…?" Moore pressed.

Devan took the lead. "Meaning we think someone set you up. The clinic where you used to donate was broken in to. We think you were targeted. How else do you explain what we found."

Moore leaned back further into the leather seat he was sitting on. "So then why are you questioning _me_ about this?"

Woody turned his eyes away from a crucifix that hung above a religious painting on the wall. "Because we need to know who would want to target you. Any enemies, so to speak."

An incline of the head told the two investigators that there were none he wished to speak of, though one he was protecting. "None that I can think of…"

Woody stood suddenly from the couch. "Come on, man. This isn't my first day on the job; I know you're protecting someone and I want to know who it is."

Devan shrugged and flicked her pen around. "We read in your file that your wife disappeared nine months back. Maybe she…"

"No!" Moore snapped, jumping from the couch and looking Devan directly in the eye. "She has nothing to do with this. Nothing."

Woody sat back down on the couch, giving Devan an apprehensive look on the way down. "We also read that you were fired from your job as a mechanic after an abrasive fight with a colleague. Mind telling us what that was about?"

Moore flicked his eyes around the room and sat back down. "Nothing. He called me a few names, that's all. I punched him and then it was stopped."

Woody made a quick gesture with his hand. "Simple as that…?"

Moore gave an indignant look. "Yes."

"Ok," Woody shuffled through the manila folder he took from Devan and pulled out a few pictures…pictures of the crime scene. "The murder occurred right next to this tree," he handed the photo to Moore, who took a long look at it. "And if you can see the ulterior spray, you would know to classify this as an actual _murder_, not a birth gone wrong."

Woody gave Devan one of his looks while she just rolled her eyes. That had been an _example_, she hadn't been serious when she said that. Before she could say anything, her phone began ringing. Excusing herself and walking over to the crucifix and painting, Devan answered.

"Yeah." The voice on the other end spoke clearly for some time, and Devan nodded fleetingly. "Ok, thanks. I'll see you soon."

Devan hung up and walked back to the couch, sitting down heavily and narrowly missing Woody's leg. She leaned over and whispered quietly. "That was Jordan. Bug tested the blood and found no match on the DNA, but was able to distinguish _two _types of blood. One female and one male. The female was around thirty while the male was just a baby of around nine months."

Woody nodded slowly. "So we're looking at a double homicide," he muttered under his breath. Devan just shrugged and looked back at Moore, who was peering at them both confusedly.

"We're going to need everything you have to offer about your wife," Devan said quite slowly. "That includes why she would want to set you up."

Moore shook his head firmly. "No. You leave my wife out of this. As I said before she has nothing to do with it."

"Maybe not, but…" Devan began, but was never able to continue.

"Get out."

Woody stood up, trying to reassure the man. "Listen, Mr. Moore…"

Moore stood as well, his height towering over Woody's. "Didn't you hear me? I said leave."

Devan stood and gave Moore a level look before walking to the door, Woody not far behind her. Devan turned the knob and thanked the blonde man for his time before walking out into the fresh air. Woody turned and looked once more at the crucifix, and he noticed something he didn't see before. Just above the crucifix there was a small wooden shelf, and what appeared to be a goat antler resting neatly on top of it. Woody frowned slightly at it before following Devan out to his car.

When they were far enough out of reach, Woody pushed down on the central locking button, unlocking his car. "Got a little chilly in there, wouldn't you say, Doc?"

"Definitely," Devan replied. "What do you think he's covering up?"

"A lot," Woody opened the driver's door and stepped inside, Devan readily doing the same to her side. "As much as he needs to, anyway. His wife has something to do with it."

"Think we should check her out?"

Woody flicked the keys in the ignition and started the car. "If we can. She disappeared, remember? I haven't been able to locate her; none of her credit cards or anything like that have been accessible since a few months ago. She obviously doesn't want to be found."

Devan nodded. "All the more reason for us to check it out. We have to go back into that house. It's our only clue trail."

Woody shrugged. "We're going to need more evidence."

A smile played on Devan's lips. "Let's get it, then."

* * *

"Doctor M?" Nigel knocked twice on the Chief Medical Examiner's small office and poked his head through the open door. 

"What is it, Nigel?" Garret looked up from his desk and pulled off his glasses, sighing in contempt slightly.

"That autopsy Sidney just conducted on George Gray…" Nigel began hesitantly.

"What about it?" Garret interrupted abruptly.

"Well," Nigel glanced behind him before continuing, "we haven't been able to find a plausible cause of death. There was no abnormal haemorrhaging, no contusions…nothing that I could find with the equipment we have."

Garret sighed impatiently. "Nigel, what's your point?"

Nigel bowed his head for a second, thinking of a way to say what he wanted to. "I don't know what to write on the report. If I say he died from natural causes, then what would they be? Because right now, I'm at a dead end. No pun intended."

Macy rubbed his forehead. "Nigel, leave it to me. I'll figure something out. In the meantime I want you to look over that case with Jordan. The one with the brain tumour."

Nigel nodded his thanks and left the room, in search of Jordan…again.

* * *

"Ok, so we're back at the crime scene. This time we have to find something that can give us a court order to search Moore's place." Woody picked his way carefully around the many shrubs and plants that surrounded the taped-off crime scene. The blood was still in tact, albeit the underlying layer had seeped into the soil underneath the grass. "Hey, why hasn't this been cleaned up yet?" 

Woody's question was directed at the CSU team that still surrounded the area, warding off annoying on-lookers. Witnesses still ranted on to various officers while Detective Adrian Lenning tried to calm down a teenager who had been passing by accidentally and had seen the extensive amount of blood.

A member of the CSU team caught up with Woody and Devan and began explaining. "We had orders not to clean it up until you two arrived back here. Something about needing some more evidence."

Devan cringed as the blood rippled in the sunlight. "We don't so much need the blood now, only what surrounds it. Such as," she knelt beside the large tree that was right next to the blood, "the ulterior spray."

Devan examined it while Woody waited anxiously beside her. "So do we know what kind of weapon it was?"

Devan turned her head slowly to look at Woody. "What am I, Sherlock Holmes?" She shook her head and traced along the outskirts of the line of thin blood. "Judging by the angle of it, I'm guessing the killer had to be standing about a foot away from this tree and to the left side. The victim was facing her killer, while the tree stood on an angle beside her. I don't think the murder was caused by a gun; the spray's angle is way off for that. Maybe a knife, definitely a sharp object."

Woody nodded. "Right. I'm thinking a knife, since they're very easy to find, as well as use."

Devan gave him another look. "Do they pay you to say dumb things? Anyway, I'm not too concerned with the ulterior spray…" she trailed off and looked beside the tree. "I'm looking for drag marks. The murderer had to have removed the body somehow, it's just a matter of what they left behind."

Sure enough, the blood trailed along in a line a little further out than the actual pool, and there was a partial foot imprint left in a soft patch of soil. Devan looked at and compared it with her own. "What do you think? A seven, maybe eight?" She looked up towards Woody's questioning glance and shrugged.

Woody looked closely at it. "Hard to tell, but the heel seems to fit yours perfectly."

Devan straightened and peeled off her gloves. "Thank you, Woody." She then nodded towards the CSU team and they immediately rushed to clean up the scene. "We'll have to come back tonight for fingerprints, though."

Devan began walking away from the scene and headed towards Woody's black car. The detective soon followed and opened his car door. "Tonight's the Governor's Ball."

Devan smiled and opened her side, sliding in and promptly pressing on the radio. "Ah yes, it's been a week, hasn't it? So, you still taking Jordan?"

Woody shook his head and turned down the radio a few notches. "No, she said she's too busy. A lot of work, apparently."

A frown lined Devan's features. "That's weird, the morgue's been quiet lately."

Woody shrugged. "Paperwork, then. Speaking of which, don't you have a lot to do?"

Devan gave a look of irritation. "Don't change the subject, Woody. So you're going alone?"

Woody shrugged. "Unless you're free…?"

Devan looked at Woody seriously. "I'd rather be doing paperwork than be a stand-in for somebody else, Woody."

Woody returned the doctor's level look with one of his own, looking her directly in the eyes. "Devan, you are not a stand-in for Jordan. I promise. Jordan and I are just friends and I would like nothing more than to have you accompany me to that banquet."

Devan thought about that. Then about the kiss. Woody had made it pretty clear that Jordan and himself were friends only and that there was nothing going on between them. But…why had Woody turned away from that kiss. "Ok," she finally answered, "but only as friends."

Woody smiled appreciatively. "Friends it is."


	3. One Long Night

**A/N: **I apologise to anyone, especially you Ellen, if you're finding these chapters a little too long…not every chapter will be as long as this one or the last, I promise. And the romance is coming, peoples, I just have to set it up a little.

Thanks to those who reviewed and I hope you enjoy this next chapter (even if you're not really a fan of this couple...).

**Deception  
Chapter 2: One Long Night**

* * *

He was nervous. Very nervous. He hadn't done this since…high school. And even then he hadn't been this nervous. A beautiful woman was about to accompany him on one of the biggest nights of his life and he couldn't even form the very words he had recited for so long in front of his mirror. His speech was almost lost to him and as he tried desperately to recollect the exact words he had prepared he found himself forgetting them even more. 

Woody paced outside Devan's apartment, waiting for his que to knock on the door. She had told him to pick her up at eight, and it was five minutes to the selected hour. He fixed up his tie impulsively and looked down once again at his tuxedo. The same tuxedo he had dry-cleaned a week ago after a tragic accident had occurred; a dead man had started dripping old blood…onto his brand new tux. It was clean now, of course, but the remnants of that night still haunted him. And that included the kiss. Yes, the kiss. The kiss he had classified as something that bordered along the edges of a mistake simply because he had pined after one woman for so long, and suddenly another one had come along. Another one who was willing to take a chance and not be so guarded.

Another minute ticked by and anxiety clutched at Woody's stomach once again. He was aware that he no longer had the comfort of being 'just friends' with Devan, and it was because of that kiss that the two of them shared a mutual awkwardness around each other. An awkwardness that was not so much spoken, but…felt. And there was only one way to sooth that awkwardness: talk. They had to talk about it, and tonight was the perfect opportunity to do so.

Woody took a deep breath and brought his fist up to the modern apartment door, preparing to knock twice on it. But it didn't come. He was completely frozen…and what was worse was that the door opened from the other end. A startled Devan raised her eyebrows as her eyes met with Woody's extended fist…and his dazed expression. The two just stared at each other, the awkwardness growing, until it was broken suddenly by Devan's laughter.

"You were pacing, weren't you?"

Woody dropped his fist and exhaled loudly, releasing his nerves. "Yeah."

Then he saw her completely. She was no longer Devan Maguire from the Medical Examiner's Office. She was Devan Maguire dressed for the occasion. A bright red satin dress flowed down to just below her knees, held up only by the halter strap that ran across and around her neck. The ends of the dress were slightly pleated while one satin lace hung from where the halter strap laced around to meet the top of the dress. Her golden hair was left spilling past her shoulders, however it was brushed slightly to one side. Woody almost lost his breath.

"Wow," he managed. "You look…amazing."

Devan tilted her head and closed her door. "Thank you," she smirked. "So do you. But…would you like blood with that tuxedo?"

Woody laughed. She hadn't forgotten. "Very funny. You ready?"

Devan held up her matching red leather handbag. "Sure looks that way. Take me away, Braveheart."

Woody held out his arm in a loop and Devan laced one arm over the top of it and the other arm underneath it. "This could be a long night," Woody breathed.

Devan nodded. "Yeah.

* * *

Jordan cupped her hands around her forehead. The printed words on the paper in front of her made no sense and began to blur into one monotonous swirl. She made out a word she vaguely recognised as 'shot', but everything else was just an ocean. A black ocean of print. Bullshit she had a lot of work to do. Sure, she had a little but no more than anybody else. And she knew she should be with Woody right now, not stuck at the morgue. But…then again, Devan was with Woody wasn't she? Devan, her 'replacement'. And in so many ways. What did Devan have that she didn't have? 

Jordan was soon interrupted by a knock on her office door, which was wide open. Snapped quickly out of her reverie, Jordan waved Sidney in. "What's up?"

"Doc, you done with that autopsy report?" Sidney walked up to Jordan's extremely…unorganised desk.

Jordan looked down briefly at her computer notes. "Uh…almost. Just give me ten minutes."

Sidney nodded and began to turn around, but was stopped suddenly by a gnawing feeling in his mind. "Something wrong, Doc?"

Jordan looked thoughtful for a moment before wistfully brushing the thought off. "No. I'm just tired."

Sidney gave her a strange look before smiling. "I can finish up here, if you like. You just go home and get some sleep."

Jordan smiled appreciatively, but shook her head defiantly. "No I'm fine. I have a bit to do here, anyway."

That was a lie. She had practically nothing to do after this report. She just didn't want to go home after telling Woody she couldn't go with him because she had a lot of work to do. Yes, she felt guilty. But she also felt betrayed because Woody was with _her_. Devan. They were hanging out again, all at the expense of Jordan's social life. But it _was_ her fault that she wasn't the one with Woody, wasn't it?

Sidney nodded and waved a quick goodbye. "I'll come back in ten."

Jordan smiled her goodbye and wavered her eyes until they reached her boss' closed office. Garret was inside reading over some papers and listening to soft jazz, that of which she could faintly hear from her own office. She thought for a moment about talking to him for a while, being comforted by someone older and wiser, but eventually ignored it and went back to her report.

"This could be a long night," she whispered to herself.

* * *

Woody stood proudly at the microphone, his medal shining brightly around his neck. "First of all," he began, "I would like to thank the Governor for this prestigious honour." 

He looked around the large hall. Many honourable people were there, various heroes who had sacrificed so much for their country and for the safety of those they loved. They were all hanging on his words. "You know, I came with a speech prepared, but someone made me forget it all…and I'm glad she did," he glanced a look down at where Devan was sitting and flashed her a smile.

"Because tonight we are all here for a purpose, and that is to put everything on hold in order to thank the people who risk their lives everyday. Many of those brave men and women have indeed lost something in their lives, but sometimes we can't have exactly what we necessarily want. However, we can achieve something of great importance and hold on to that, because tomorrow isn't that far away. And anything can happen in a few seconds, and anything can be something that makes us realise life really is too short to be balancing on a beam. A beam that can fall at any time. Thank you."

The entire hall filled with applause. Guests and retired officers stood immediately and clapped loudly, adding to the already echo-filled uproar. There was not an occupied seat in the entire hall; everybody was standing and clapping, while Woody smiled at the people he could. His eyes at last met Devan's and the two had an unspoken understanding. What he had said not only applied to police work, but to other matters as well. She returned his smile and watched as his chief escorted him back into the row of other rewarded detectives. Devan understood that while Jordan was what Woody really wanted, she was unreachable. Just out of his reach. But Devan herself was right in front of him, inside of his reach. She was what he needed.

The men on the stage, including Woody, began to turn around and walk methodically down the few stairs leading to the floor. Then they broke their line and each individual walked in the direction of their table. Woody made it back to his table, that of which he shared with a few other detectives as well as his chief, and gave Devan a quick wink before sitting down next to her.

Devan leaned in close and whispered in his ear. "You were great."

Woody sighed and shook his head. "That was a disaster."

Devan gave him a scathing look. "Yeah, that's why everyone stood up and applauded you."

Woody laughed. He put his arm around Devan's shoulders and quickly kissed her hair. "Thanks."

"For what?"

Woody pulled her in closer and whispered calmly into her ear. "For making me forget my speech. And helping me think up a better one."

Devan countered his smile with one of her own. The Governor immediately took the stand then, thanking each honoured policeman individually. He then invited everyone present to stand and make their way to the dance floor. Many members of the banquet stood with their partners and walked over to the large floor reserved for the dancing. However, there were those few people who preferred to sit rather than dance, but Woody was not one of those.

He took Devan's hand and stood abruptly. "Dance?"

Devan smirked. "You can dance?"

Woody nodded emphatically. "Yeah, I can dance."

What was a girl to do? Devan stood slowly, almost doubtfully, and took quite a large sip of her red wine. "Ok."

The pair walked hand-in-hand to the dance floor, and a slow song began playing softly. It was a piano medley with a slight hint of soft jazz, but still very good to slow-dance to. They found a spot somewhere just a little outside the middle, always a good spot to start off. Woody let go of Devan's hand and placed his just below her waist, while she placed hers around his warm neck. She came up to just above his neck in height, so that's where she looked. She didn't want her eyes to meet with his, like that night they kissed when she had been mesmerised by them. Those intriguing blue orbs that had her stilled to the ground, immobilised, unable to move. Almost unable to breathe. That was the reality of it; she was so taken by his eyes that she feared looking into them. Ever since they had kissed that one night.

_**-I've been staring at the sky tonight**_

_**Marvelling and passing time**_

_**Wondering what to do with daylight**_

_**Until I can make you mine**_

**_You are the one I want-_**

The song progressed slowly, its soft piano notes humming in the background of the female vocals. Devan realised she hadn't looked up from Woody's neck, and that he was looking down at her curiously. She gave him a quick smile when she did look up and tried desperately to avoid his eyes. Oh, his eyes. Why did they have to be so captivating?

_**-I've been thinking of changing my mind **_

**It never stays the same for long**

**But of all the things I know for sure**

**You're the only certain one**

**You are the one I want-**

Woody could see the distracted look in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

His whisper drifted into her ears and she was forced to look him in the eyes. "Nothing," she replied. "I'm fine."

As they swayed gently to the music, Woody's grip on Devan's waist loosened, making the dance slightly less uncomfortable and restricted. Devan allowed herself to fall back into Woody's embrace, and she relied on it to support her.

_**-I've been counting up all my wrongs**_

_**One sorry for each star**_

**_See I'd apologise my way to you_**

_**If the heavens stretched that far**_

_**You are the one I want-**_

Then she looked at him in the eye, revealing everything she had wanted to keep hidden. And he saw the flicker of fear and doubt before it disappeared altogether. Woody wondered fleetingly what that was but quickly forgot about it when Devan tightened her grip on his neck, forcing him to do the same with her waist. Devan leaned forward and looked at Woody's lips, licking her own.

"We're just friends, aren't we?" She whispered when the song turned instrumental.

Woody stared at the small smile that was tugging at the edges of Devan's mouth. "Yeah, just friends."

Devan gave a small nod. "Ok, good."

She leaned in further, nearing his lips.

_**-I won't find what I'm looking for**_

_**If I only "see" by keeping score**_

_**Cause I know now you are so much more**_

_**Than arithmetic-**_

Devan flicked her eyes up towards Woody's and gave him a sly smile before planting a light kiss on his mouth. Woody looked down at her and smirked.

"Just friends, right?"

Devan nodded seriously, then grinned. "Just friends."

_**-Cause if I add, if I subtract**_

_**If I give it all, try to take some back**_

_**I've forgotten the freedom that comes with the fact**_

_**That you are the sum**_

_**So you are the one I want-**_

Devan's hands drifted slowly away from Woody's neck and she lightly picked up his bravery medal and looked at it. Around the edges of it the name of the precinct was engraved and encircled the entire medal. In the middle Woody's name was engraved, quite a bit larger than the print that was written to identify the award as one of bravery. The Boston police badge symbol was imprinted below that, as well as a small outline of a lion. Devan smiled. _Bravery indeed._

_**-When the years are showing on my face**_

_**And my strongest days are gone**_

_**When my heart and flesh depart from this place**_

_**From a life that sung your song-**_

Woody stifled a laugh. "You know, I really hate to break up this bond you have with my medal but I think we should get out of here if we're going to get those fingerprints."

Devan had completely forgotten. After the ball they were supposed to go back to the crime scene and collect a series of prints and see if they could find anything that leaked to their main suspect. She sighed and let go of the medal, giving it a slight flick so it made a dull thud against Woody's chest upon landing.

"You sure it's ok to leave?"

Woody nodded. "Yeah," he gave Devan a sly look. "It was getting boring anyway."

Devan laughed. "Oh really? So," she paused dramatically, "I bore you, do I?"

Woody made a gesture with his fingers, placing his thumb and forefinger about an inch apart. "Just a little."

Devan looked at him seriously. "Ok. Just let me change first."

Upon leaving, Devan looked behind her to hear the final words of the song…

_**-You'll still be the one I want-**_

* * *

"So Jordan," Garret peered inside of his employee's office. "You going to tell me what's bothering you or do I have to start guessing?" 

Jordan looked up from her desk, a slightly dazed look challenging her denial. "Nothing's wrong, Garret. Seriously, I'm just finishing up here."

Garret nodded a few times before taking up a seat in the chair opposite to Jordan's desk. "And that's why you're avoiding the Pogue, is it?"

Jordan sighed. "Listen, Garret, my dad has other staff besides just me. And anyway, I'm not avoiding anything."

Garret searched Jordan's face before locking her eyes with his. "That's not what I'm talking about. I meant that you're avoiding hanging out with Nigel and Bug. They're at the bar waiting for you."

Jordan flicked her eyes distractedly over her desk before finding Macy's once again. "Tonight's Woody's Governor's Ball."

Confusion flicked in Garret's eyes. "Wasn't that last week?"

"Ah," Jordan waved her hand impulsively, "long story. Anyway, as you can see, I'm not there."

Garret frowned. "He didn't ask you?"

Jordan's eyes widened. "No, he did. I just didn't accept."

Garret nodded. "Oh. Devan?"

Jordan took a lock of her hair and placed it behind her ear. "Yeah."

"Well," Garret shrugged solemnly, "you can't really do much about that."

Placing a hand on her forehead, Jordan nodded. "I know. It's just, I don't think I can accept it. You know, let him go."

Garret watched as Jordan laid a ginger hand down on her desk. He couldn't watch her tear herself apart, he just couldn't. "Jordan, if you need anything at all, I'm here. You know that, right?"

Jordan nodded, and smiled appreciatively as her boss. "Thanks, Garret."

"Good," Garret stood from the chair. "Now get out of here. Go play pool with Nigel or something."

* * *

When they reached her apartment building, Devan and Woody both stepped out of the car. A spark of familiarity flickered between them before Devan smiled. 

"You can come up. Catch the last five minutes of the baseball game."

Woody laughed and allowed Devan to take his hand and lead him up to her room. "Can't resist that offer."

They entered the building and Devan immediately spotted a familiar face. "Hey Harrison."

A tall man with brown hair and blonde highlights turned around from looking at his mail he had just collected. His blue eyes probed Devan's light green ones and he smiled. "Hey, Devan."

Then he noticed Woody. The smile faltered slightly and the man looked down fleetingly. "Big night?"

"You could say that," Devan tugged lightly on Woody's hand. "Harrison, this is Woody. Woody, Harrison's my neighbour."

Woody could only manage a wave. "Hi."

Harrison nodded in reply. "Hey."

Sensing the awkwardness, Devan's grin grew. "Ah, we should get going. Take care, Harrison."

Harrison perked up immediately and waved. "You too," he flashed Woody another look. "Nice to meet you."

Woody gave a friendly smile. "Likewise."

The pair made their way up the many stairs that led to Devan's room, Woody still being led by her. When they reached her room, Devan took out the keys from her bag and twisted them in the lock, ultimately opening the door. It was a small apartment, and one of those where immediately inside you will find the couch and television. The kitchen was on one side of the makeshift living room, while the bedroom was on the other. There were several other rooms that led to bathrooms and such but they were irrelevant in the end. Devan took the remote off the small glass coffee table and switched on the television, handing the device to Woody.

"Make yourself at home," she walked over to her bedroom. "I'll be out in ten."

Woody sat immediately down on the blue suede couch, already engrossed in the baseball game that had five minutes left of play. The scores were even and Woody watched for a few minutes before tuning out.

"So, what was with your 'neighbour'? He seemed…disappointed," he called over his shoulder to Devan.

He could faintly hear Devan's unmistakeable laugh. "He liked you," she said sarcastically.

"So," Woody shifted on the couch, "do you make it customary to flirt with _every _guy you meet?"

"Very funny," Devan pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail. "Harrison and I are just friends."

Woody nodded. "Right. That's why he was so discreet in his disappointment."

"His girlfriend dumped him a while back," Devan said uncaringly while smoothing out her dress.

Woody stole a look behind him at Devan. "Oh, so he's on the rebound."

Devan flashed Woody a glare. "Why are we even talking about this? What about your ex-girlfriends?"

Woody thought back to when he was living in Wisconsin. "Point taken. They've all dumped me."

Devan laughed and walked out into her small living room with a laptop computer. "Ok, let's do this."

Woody jumped up from the couch. "You said ten minutes. That was seven."

Giving him an irritated look, Devan glanced at the television. "Close enough. Who won?"

Woody flicked off the screen with the remote. "The reigning champions, of course. Sox until the end." Then he looked at Devan. "Don't we need a laser?"

Reaching into her jean pocket, Devan pulled out a thick pen, the same pen she had used back at Adam Moore's house. "It has a laser in it, and a small camera. Pretty expensive, but very impressive. And handy."

* * *

Jordan heard the unmistakeable sound of ceramic balls clanking against each other. Other than the two occupants she was expecting to find, the Pogue was empty. She found Nigel and Bug at the pool table, their large beers resting on the wooden edge. Nigel looked up and saw Jordan walking over. 

"Hey, Love. We were just going to send out a search party. We don't need to now."

Jordan flicked out a hand impulsively. "Yeah, I had a lot of paperwork to do. So, who's winning?"

"Me," exclaimed Bug. "Fourth in a row."

Nigel looked indignant. "You haven't won yet."

Bug looked down at the table then back at Nigel. "Well just about."

"I'll play the winner," Jordan walked over to the inside of the counter. "But let me get a drink first."

Nigel looked fleetingly over his shoulder before he took his shot. "You not with Woodrow?"

Frothy beer began pouring out of the machine. "Ah, no. He's with Devan."

Nigel winced as another wrong move cost him the game. "Too bad. Bug here could have whipped his sorry butt, too."

Jordan walked over and glanced at the empty pool table. "Oh, I guess I'll be playing Bug then."

* * *

"So, what about your past boyfriends? How did they fair with you?" Woody tried to make friendly conversation as he and Devan picked their way through the darkened local park, trying to find the proverbial crime scene. 

"Nothing special. A basketball player and a quarter-back," Devan replied as she found the tape and ducked underneath it, Woody following close behind.

"What," Woody gave a confused look, "just two?"

Devan ran her pen strategically down the tree, lighting up several fingerprints with the thick stem of blue illumination. "No, but they're the only two worth mentioning."

The blue laser light lit up a fingerprint that interested Devan so she clicked the top of the pen, taking a photo in the process. Woody stared at it.

"So, how does that thing work?"

Devan clicked the top of it a few more times. "It has a memory card stored in it. Every picture you take gets stored in there until you upload them onto a computer."

"And it's also a pen?"

Devan nodded. "Uh huh. Just flick the little switch on the side and it changes to a pen."

She took another photo and stared at the print carefully. It was a left thumb, another one to that she had just taken a quick photo of. Trailing the laser slowly along the slight ridges of the bark, she noticed another left thumb print; this one having a scar in the middle of it. She took a photo of it before walking briskly back to where they had placed the wireless laptop. Woody followed.

"What have you found?"

"Three different left thumb prints, all of them fresh and impartial," she replied distantly.

Linking her laser pen into the side of the computer, Devan pulled up all the new pictures from the camera. Running them simultaneously with already stored prints, Devan found a match. The left thumb print of Adam Moore.

Devan glanced up at Woody. "Well now. Still think he's just a target?"

* * *

**A/N: **Heya, hope that wasn't too long for y'all to take. And those pens do exists, it is not just my imagination running from watching a lot of Alias. Harrison really had no point being there, I just thought it would be funny… 

The next chapter will be much shorter, so Ellen…relax. But until that time, later!


	4. Victoria's Secret

**A/N: **Heya, I know that Devan is dead, but that doesn't mean her small portion of the Crossing Jordan fanfiction should be too. I need reviews, people! Reviews help me think, and more importantly, they help this story come together (hey Ellen, I used that word again...).

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it and never will. And the song used last chapter was Brooke Fraser's "Arithmetic"...forgot to mention that before.

**Deception  
Chapter 3: Victoria's Secret**

* * *

That line dividing sanity from insanity was thin, if almost invisible, at the resident morgue. Just two days ago the Massachusetts Medical Examiner's Office had been stable, with only a few dead bodies due for their autopsies. It had even been…quiet. Now, well now there was panic and chaos as relatives of local victims paced around the front desk, waiting to be seen to, while bodies were coming in at an abnormal speed. 

Garret Macy passed by the front desk with a backwards glance and immediately gave orders for more doctors to see to the impatient relatives. He made it through to his desk…only to be met with Lily's questioning eyes.

"Garret," she began, "these files arrived for you this morning. And according to Bug there's more on the way."

She gave Garret an almost apologetic look before turning to walk out of the office, only to be stopped by Macy's hesitant orders.

"Can you get a hold of Devan and ask her to see me?"

Lily gave a questioning look before smiling. "Sure."

Garret sat down at his desk, pulling his chair in a little closer. He placed a sweaty hand to his head and sighed, almost strategically, in contempt. All of these files and it wasn't even a full moon. Or…was it? Things like that never really bothered him. Receding gently into his work, he realised the DA's office had been surprisingly quiet lately…

"Doctor Macy?"

Devan poked her head through the open door, knocking once before flashing Garret an impatient look.

Garret looked up. "How's that case going with Woody?"

Devan sighed and leaned in further on the doorframe. "Tough. We're having a hard time getting a warrant for this guy's house."

Garret frowned. "But his fingerprints showed up at the crime scene…"

Devan nodded. "Yeah, we tried that one. Since the fingerprints were taken without consent and this homicide took place in a park, the DA's not accepting it as authenticated."

The young doctor emphasised sarcastically on that last word. Garret rubbed his forehead with his hand. "Let me pull a few strings. I think I can get passed our District Attorney with ease."

Devan sent a knowing smirk to Macy. "Good luck, Doctor M."

She disappeared around the corner before Garret could retort. All he could do was sigh.

* * *

Bug typed something meticulously on one of the computers in the lab. DNA sequencing ran over the screen, while on the other one, another sequencing was forming. Bug compared the two with a worried eye. The sequencing was clearly not of the same genetic structure, and yet the murder had been left to look like a mother and child had been killed together. But the evidence suggested that the DNA structure of the child was completely different to that of his mother's. 

Devan walked through the swinging doors, picking up a few random papers on her way in. She looked at them thoughtfully before plucking out the last paper. She then looked to Bug. "What are these?"

Bug looked behind him, then at the papers. "The bloodied soil cross-referenced with insect activity. Time of death was ten past twelve two days ago."

Devan sighed. "Great. Well that certainly ties in with what we already know…"

Bug looked fleetingly at the computer screen. "Well, here's something we didn't know, or at least wouldn't have guessed."

Devan walked over to him. "What?"

Bug gestured to the screen. "The DNA sequencing of the child and supposed mother don't match. So either that child was born through IVF or it wasn't the mother's at all."

Devan shrugged. "Either way he wouldn't really be hers."

They were interrupted by Woody's intrusive presence in the room. "Hey guys! According to a local who lives close near the park, there was in fact a scream…a very loud scream. He says it was about midnight, but he thought nothing of it. Said it was probably some kids playing around…"

Woody looked around the room and saw both Bug and Devan standing either side of the computer screen. He sighed then. "What have you found?"

Devan walked over and brushed passed Woody, collecting the files that were resting on a bench. "That the woman who was murdered wasn't the mother of the child who was murdered. The DNA sequencing doesn't fit."

Waving the files behind her to Bug, Devan made for the swinging doors of the laboratory. "I'm going to give these to Macy."

Woody stared after her, then glanced a look at Bug, who shrugged in return. "Since when did she become teacher's pet?"

Bug shrugged again. "Macy's helping us with the warrant. I have another case to work on now so you're going to have to get your cake somewhere else."

Woody nodded. "Great, I've got something to work on anyway, so it looks like I'll get back to you on the cake thing."

Bug gave him a sarcastic look before they both left the room, each going their separate ways down the hall. Woody was headed for the Chief Medical Examiner's small office and was met halfway by Devan, who smiled before walking straight passed him.

"Hey, Woody."

Before she could escape him completely he took her arm. "I need your help with this."

Devan gave Woody a searching look. "With what…?"

Woody looked down for a moment, then back at Devan. "You know how to charm a man, don't you."

And it was no question.

* * *

A woman paced contently down one of the many halls of the morgue, looking into each of the different rooms as she passed them. Finally she came across someone she was sent to look for. 

"Nigel Townsend?"

The tall man turned around and smiled at what he saw; a young brunette woman, maybe in her mid-twenties, approaching him with an outstretched arm. "May I inquire as to who is asking?"

The woman flashed a card. "Rebecca Berg from the Boston Psychic Community. I was sent here to look for you."

Nigel looked sceptical. "We've had someone like you around here before and that…didn't exactly go down so well, so why don't we talk in the conference room?"

Steering her gently into the empty room, he pulled out a seat for her. She took it with a small smile of appreciation before watching Nigel take his own. "Oh, George Gray sent me. He said to me to give you some help with his sudden death."

Nigel nodded while looking Rebecca right in the eye. "Ms Berg, I'm a believer in many things but…"

The woman looked up suddenly, kindness the only thing present in her brown eyes. "Doctor Townsend, I can assure you that whatever we speak of is pure fact."

Nigel shifted in his seat. "Really?"

Rebecca Berg nodded profoundly. "George and I had a psychic connection, so to speak. We bumped into one another one day on the subway and ever since then we've been able to send each other messages."

Nigel swallowed, clearly uncomfortable. "And what is it exactly he wanted me to know?"

Rebecca nodded her head before clearing her throat. "That it was his time."

Nigel just stared at the woman.

* * *

The black car pulled up gently just outside an automobile mechanic shop. The shop's skeleton was nothing more than an old warehouse with peeling green paint. Woody stepped out of the car, followed quickly by Devan. 

The blonde M.E. looked to Woody for an explanation. "Woody, what are we doing here?"

Woody looked forward and tucked his hands arrogantly into the pockets of his pressed suit. "You'll see."

Devan sighed. "That doesn't help," she uttered under her breath.

The two neared the entrance and as they stepped through the automatic doors, they were met with a gruff man, whose cropped blonde hair sparkled in the bright sun. A tattoo of a rising eagle was engraved on his muscly bicep, and one of a skull was visible on the back of his neck. This was the man they were looking for.

"Josh Jones?" Woody stepped up to the man with an outstretched hand, that which did the intimidating man ignore.

"Who wants to know?" Josh Jones frowned at Woody and gave Devan the once-over with an appreciative eye.

Woody smirked at him. "Detective Hoyt, Boston PD," he gestured to Devan. "Doctor Maguire from the Medical Examiner's Office. We have a few questions."

"We do?" Devan muttered to herself.

Woody faintly heard her but ignored the quipped comment. "Mr. Jones are you familiar with a past colleague of yours called Adam Moore?"

Josh Jones picked up a spanner and walked over to a bench. "Yeah. The son of a bitch gave me a good one on my lip with a right hook. Never forget it," he gestured to a scar just below his lip. "Split my skin real good."

Devan folded her arms. "Differences aside, what can you tell us about him?"

Jones looked up from the bench. "What can't I, Sweetie? He's a religious maniac with a creepy wife."

Woody took his hands from his pockets and straightened. "Yeah we figured. But…what's wrong with religion, Mr. Jones?"

"Nothing," Jones folded his arms, bearing his well-developed muscles. "In fact, I'm Catholic. But this guy goes on about it like the world is all-evil and that he has to cleanse it or something."

Woody looked closely at Josh Jones. "Really."

Devan looked at Woody and raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Jones, Adam told us that you called him something and that provoked the punch. Out of curiosity, what exactly did you call him?"

Jones smirked. "Ok, get this," he twirled the spanner in his hand. "Moore's this religious guy right, but he was having an affair. I called him a hypocrite. He said it was the 'will of God'. "

The mocking tone in Jones' voice told Woody something. "So Moore was having an affair," he gave Devan a long look. "Do you know who the woman was?"

Jones gave a half-laugh. "Do I? Everyone knows who _she _is. Victoria Castlemaine. Hot stuff."

Devan stiffened. "She come around here often?"

Jones nodded. "Oh yeah. He showed her off, with no consideration to what that was doing to his wife."

Woody lifted a finger. "So his wife knew about it?"

Jones shrugged before turning back to the bench he was working at. "Who knows. What's this about anyway? The bastard was found dead?"

Woody and Devan exchanged apprehensive looks. Woody then cleared his throat. "No…but someone was and we need to figure out who."

* * *

Jordan walked steadily past Garret's office, deep in thought. Was she losing one of her best friends? Ever since that night they had decided to take things slow, Woody had drifted apart, chasing after Devan instead…who was more than a willing participant in his game. What he had said that night after Jordan suggested for him to stay cut into her like a hot knife through butter. 

_There's nothing to say we can't 'hook up' every now and then. But we should take things slow._

But slow didn't mean a dead stop, did it?

"Jordan?"

Startled, Jordan turned to face Macy, who was peering out of his office. She retracted her steps to level with him and he straightened.

"Garret?"

He took her false smile with a stern look. "Why bother if you're just going to fake it?"

She gave him a shrinking look. "What's up?"

He looked at her squarely. "I want you to help Devan and Woody on the case they're working on. Unless…you'd prefer not to…?"

Jordan shook her head. "No, I really have nothing else to work on anyway. Surprisingly." She looked around. "Uh…where are they?"

"Oh," Garret looked flippant. "I know Woody likes to call it 'legwork'."

Jordan nodded slowly. "Right. Figures."

* * *

Bug paced around in the laboratory; waiting for the current test he was conducting to show up on the computer screen. A light suddenly flickered onto the computer and Bug clicked a few random keys. The results of the test scrolled immediately on the screen and as Bug read them, he became profoundly confused. 

"What the hell…?"

The swinging doors opened roughly, Woody walking through followed closely by Devan. "What's up, Bug?"

Bug turned to fleetingly greet them both and then abruptly looked back to the computer screen. "Hi…"

Slowly turning his head towards Devan, Woody gave her a funny look. "Uh…Bug? We found out more about our guy Moore. Ready for this?" When he received no reply, Woody continued. "He was having an affair, with some woman called Victoria Castlemaine. Apparently she was constantly 'showed-off' at the mechanic place Moore worked at. It was common knowledge they were…you know."

Devan raised her eyebrows. "You know…?"

Reacting to her sarcastic echo, Woody inclined his head. "Ok…having sex. Better?"

Devan smirked, turning her head to Bug. "Better."

Bug nodded vaguely, looking seriously at both Devan and Woody. "That's not the only shocking discovery."

Both the Detective and Medical Examiner gave confused looks. "What?"

Gesturing towards the computer, Bug answered their simultaneous question. "Whoever was murdered had leukeamia. Acute."

Devan retracted her head slightly while Woody just stared…and shook his head. "For how long had she had it?"

Bug shook his head in reply. "Judging from this…not long. About a month or two. It's pretty far progressed, and there are no signs of treatment from what I'm seeing here."

Devan stared at the screen. "Wow."

Woody nodded once. "We also know a bit about Moore's wife, Kathleen; Kathy for short. We know she disappeared nine months ago and that she was infertile, but that's all."

Devan cut in. "We do know that Adam was at the scene. And we also know that at least two other people were there that night, if the fingerprints aren't lying."

Woody scratched his head. "Which, you know, they don't often do…"

They were interrupted by the doors being swung open, revealing a curious Jordan. "So…fill me in. I'm working with you guys on this."

Absorbing this, Woody stared, shifting his weight from one foot to the other uncomfortably. "Welcome aboard, Jordan."


	5. Deja vu All Over Again

**A/N: **Long time no…update. Bleh. Too lazy. Another semi-long chapter so you might wanna sit down for this one cause it will take a while. Nothing really more to report other than the fact that this chapter and the next are like the two days of the episode _Deja Past_, so expect some quotes and such throughout. And it will also explain why Devan and Woody leave together at the end of the episode and what they actually do…

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it. Be crazy to think I ever will.

Thanks to my trusty reviewer (ya know who you are you evil Jordan/Woody shipper…) :) Still love ya, though.

**Deception  
****Chapter 4: Déjà vu All Over Again**

**

* * *

**

They stared at one another awkwardly, years of betrayal unravelling before them. The two were once in love and wanted to portray that in any way possible, except many challenges overcame them. In the end, he had given up and he buried his desires in another woman, whom he loved equally. His wife had found out about the affair and left immediately, erasing any trace of her existence…until nine months later her surrogate pregnancy shocked her and she looked for help anywhere she could find it. She went in search of her husband and found him successfully, however he had other plans…

Taking out the knife from his jacket he stabbed her without hesitation, the satisfaction of knowingly driving out evil from the world gleaming in his eyes hungrily…

"Hold it."

Jordan made a swirling motion with her fingers as she looked towards Devan and Woody, who were staring at each other and standing close together, Woody with a pretend knife in his hand, Devan's eyes portraying a sorrowful betrayal. They broke apart suddenly and looked expectantly towards Jordan.

"Where does Victoria come into this?" Jordan placed her hands on her hips.

Devan looked thoughtful. "Because I don't call Adam, I call Victoria," she effortlessly slipped into the character of Kathleen Moore and walked around the tree in the park.

Jordan nodded. "And I," she slipped into her role of Victoria Castlemaine, "agree willingly, telling Adam everything, that I'm going to meet with his ex-wife at the park at midnight."

Woody clasped his hands together. "I'm excited. This will be my chance at revenge. For nine months I had to live with the uncertainty of never knowing if my wife would return, and now I find out she had a baby through another couple without informing me. This is evil and I will erase it."

Nodding, Devan stepped out from behind the tree. "It's midnight and I'm waiting by this tree, where I told Victoria to meet me. I see her, but something's wrong. Someone else is with her. Someone I recognise. I immediately become unsettled and cause a scene, yelling at Victoria for betraying my wishes."

Jordan lifted a finger. "I say that I thought Adam should know the truth about that baby."

Jordan slipped an arm around Woody's waist coyly. Woody reached into his coat and pulled out once again the invisible knife. "I back Kathleen up against the tree but I don't trap her completely. She steps past me and tries to run, however Victoria grabs her…"

Jordan grabbed Devan's wrist as she tried to run.

"…and I plunge the knife deep into Kathleen's stomach, cleansing the evil."

Devan stepped out of the way as Jordan walked over to the tree. "And I find the baby in a pram. Adam thinks it best if we kill him too."

Woody nodded. "Great. That works."

Devan shook her head. "We've been working this case for four days and all we have is theory."

Woody shrugged. "Well, it is…good theory."

Jordan gestured to Devan. "Devan's right, it's only theory. We don't have anything concrete."

Devan nodded, agreeing. "We don't even know where Victoria is. How can we test these theories without any proof?"

Woody sighed and bowed his head. "Ok. I'll run an even thorough search on Victoria, but as far as proof goes, we don't really have anything without a body. In the meantime, I'll let you two get back to the morgue – I know you have a few cases to work on."

Woody smiled at both Jordan and Devan before walking away in search of his car; leaving the two Medical Examiner's to stare after him in the crisp morning breeze. Then they looked at each other and shrugged.

Jordan sighed. "I don't have anything to work on."

Devan nodded slowly. "Neither do I."

* * *

Garret paced inside of his office, his phone placed to his right ear. It was ringing on the other end…and it had been for sometime. Then her voicemail pierced through the monotonous ringing. Garret closed over his phone angrily, slamming it down on his desk. She wasn't returning his calls and he really needed her this time. Maybe if he requested a meeting with her…

Nigel suddenly appeared at the door. "Doctor M?"

Garret nodded. "What is it, Nigel?"

Nigel walked through into the office. "Just thought you should know that I'm checking out an old lady who died this morning in her house. Nothing horrific."

Garret rubbed his forehead, looking agitated. "Ok, Nigel. Jordan not back yet?"

Shaking his head, Nigel looked behind him. "Nope. Neither is Devan."

Nodding his appreciation, Garret gathered up a few files before gesturing for Nigel to leave before he did. Nigel obligingly did so and headed towards the recreation room where the phone was ringing. Garret walked out and began for the front desk when he was suddenly met with a singing Jordan bounding unawares out of the crypt…

* * *

"This is Hoyt."

Woody sat at his desk and filtered through the many files he had yet to hand in to his chief. He held up his phone to his ear while a voice spoke clearly on the other end. When the conversation ended, Woody dialled a number and Nigel answered.

"Nigel, get Garret onto this guy killed in a razor-wire fence. Tell him I'll meet him there."

And so the day deftly spun Woody into its web of murder mysteries.

* * *

Devan paced around the lab impatiently. She had been told by Macy to wait around until this razor-wire guy was brought in but instead she was searching numerous databases for Victoria Castlemaine. While the computers searched meticulously Devan read through Adam Moore's file again, making sure she and Woody hadn't missed anything important the first time. So far there was nothing worth noting, just a few medical certificates for small heart scares but still Devan looked. There had to be some clue as to just what had taken place eleven days before, because it was just a mystery to her at present. Everything seemed so complicated and disarrayed, where the actual murders that had taken place that night should be as simple as tying shoelaces in reality. If only they had all the evidence they needed…

The computer bleeped and information immediately appeared on the monitor. Upon the information was an address…a mansion. Devan brought up a photo of the large house and viewed it in full, taking in the old Victorian style shell of it. It was absurdly like something out of _Alice In Wonderland_. Devan closed the picture and clicked on another page. There something caught her eye; Victoria Castlemaine was heir to a large estate.

Devan was soon interrupted by a knock on the open door. It was Bug.

"John Doe's in."

* * *

He knelt down on the pavement and began walking on all fours. Devan raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything, just followed him on the side and looked down at him.

"I should have popped him once in the foot when I had the chance," Woody ranted on, his eyes focused on the ground below him.

Devan brushed her hair behind her ears and folded and arms. "Not that I'm an expert but wouldn't that have been a 'violation' of some sort?"

Woody looked up indignantly. "Hey, the guy almost flattened me with his car. I believe that's a violation, too."

Devan walked forward slowly and noticed when Woody turned his look to her legs. "I don't think I've ever seen you this angry."

Still distracted, Woody alternated his gaze between the pavement and Devan's legs. "He slipped right through my fingers, Devan. Does not happen to me everyday. I want this guy. Bad."

"Your testosterone runneth over," Devan grinned. "It's kind of…cute."

Woody stopped and looked up with a frown. "Did you just flirt with me?"

Devan's eye narrowed. "I may have," she paused. "Accidentally."

Woody's gaze stared forward with slightly confused eyes while Devan began to walk in the opposite direction. "Oh."

Silence reigned for a few seconds between them until Devan leaned over a drain. "I think I can see it."

He looked up again, looking forward. "What? Us?"

"No," Devan said distantly. "This."

Crawling over to her, Woody stared into the drain as Devan pulled a diamond ring out with tweezers. It shined, even though dirt stained the edges of it.

Looking down from her leaning position at Woody, Devan smirked. "Marry me?"

Woody grinned and nodded, standing and brushing himself off. "Sure, why not. You only live once."

Devan smiled innocently. "What are you doing tonight?"

Woody, taken back by the question, leaned in closer to Devan. "Nothing, why?"

Leaning in closer as well Devan smirked. "Because we have a new lead in the Moore case. Victoria Castlemaine's mansion. We should check it out."

Disappointment etching itself clearly onto Woody's face, he took a step away from Devan. "Sure."

Devan smiled once again. "Great. I'll finish up and you can pick me up tonight at my apartment. How's eight?"

Woody took the ring Devan held out to him and put it in a plastic containment bag. "Eight's good."

"Good."

* * *

Nigel stared at the papers in front of him. A…bug? During the day Macy had gone over George Gray once and noted that there had been an alive bug buried deep within the skin in his left foot, and that in turn had caused a slight haemorrhaging and a clot that made Gray collapse. A minute later he had died from lack of circulation. That had been the cause of death all the while…and Nigel had been oblivious to it.

Lily walked slowly into the room, distracting Nigel. She smiled as he waved a welcome to her. "I've been talking to George Gray's family. They're upset and have agreed to pay for a funeral. And they're requesting the body as soon as possible."

Nigel countered Lily's friendly smile. "Something as simple as a bug caused this man to die. It's incredible, isn't it? And at exactly seven in the morning."

Lily laid a sympathetic hand upon Nigel's shoulder. "If there's one thing I've learned from this job it's that some things are unavoidable. This was obviously meant to happen to this man and at exactly that time of morning. Everything happens for a reason."

"Yeah," Nigel breathed. "Love, do you need these reports, 'cause I've finished with them."

Lily smiled and nodded appreciatively. "Yeah, thanks."

Before handing them over to the Grief Counsellor, Nigel took one final look at the papers. A bug, of all things…how could he have missed that?

* * *

Garret stared at the phone sitting on his desk. Still no reply from Walcott. She hadn't been returning his messages…and when he had managed to catch her briefly she skilfully turned the conversation another way…away from their relationship. He hadn't seen her in a while and that worried him…but he knew he had to persuade her to give Woody a court order for this guy's house. And the only way to do that was to call her.

Dialling the number he had reserved for her on his speed dial, Garret waited for her to answer. When she did he addressed her professionally.

"Listen, Renee, I really need you to give Woody that warrant. It's his only trail and Moore is the main suspect here, so could you bend the rules just this once?"

Her rough voiced sounded on the other end. "Garret, I have broken the rules more than once, but this I won't do. You don't have sufficient evidence claiming this man as the killer. If anything, he's as much a victim as the woman who was killed."

Garret sighed impatiently. "I'm getting tired of your vendetta against me and my morgue, Renee."

Renee scoffed on the other end. "Excuse me, Garret. I'm being professional. You want this guy then you have to tell Detective Hoyt to give me something to work with."

"Fine, I'll do that."

With that, Garret slammed his phone down, cutting off the District Attorney.

"I'll do that."

* * *

"Is this really the plan; breaking and entering?"

Woody paced nervously outside of Victoria Castlemaine's large mansion, while Devan masterfully picked the lock. They had originally tried the doorbell, then the windows. And now, all they had left was the lock. Devan had come prepared, all right.

"Yep," she flashed Woody a small smile before hearing the satisfying 'click' of the lock. "We're in."

She turned the doorknob while Woody hung behind her, flashing on his torch. Devan stepped into the house and immediately she was hit with a mixture of must and tobacco. The tobacco was far from fresh and Devan guessed it was about three days old. Someone had been here since the murder. Devan flicked on her torch as well and walked in one direction, while Woody took the other.

"What exactly are we looking for, Devan?"

"Firstly, a light switch wouldn't hurt," Devan muttered distantly.

Woody flashed his light over the walls, searching for a small switch. "I don't see any…"

Suddenly, lights flickered above them and a bright glow filled the mansion. They were in a hallway, completely surrounded by old paintings of Englishmen and hound dogs hunting for their foxes. There was one especially old painting of _The Last Supper_.

Devan gave Woody a look before gesturing to the painting. "Looks like Victoria is religious as well. No clash of interests as far as she and Adam Moore go."

Woody nodded. "Which leads me to wonder why she would have an affair. That goes against _everything_ in religion…"

"Maybe they didn't think it was necessarily wrong," Devan interrupted, walking up the stylish staircase.

Woody followed her with a short sigh. "If they read the Bible it's pretty hard to miss the chapter that says 'don't have any affairs'!"

Devan gave him another sarcastic look. "Subtle, Woody, subtle."

Woody quickly slipped his flashlight into the large pocket of his coat before turning the corner Devan had. "I like to think of it as blunt."

She didn't reply to that, only gave a small confused look. "If he loved his wife, then why did he have an affair?"

Woody gave her a long look. "Because he didn't love her," he whispered distantly.

Devan shivered as she wondered what, or who, he was talking about. She entered a room suddenly, switching on the light as she did so. "Ok…I'm assuming Victoria is a photographer…"

The colour of the light was a reddish blue and Woody had to squint to look into it. "Or she just likes pretty lights."

Picking up several photos and after glancing at them, Devan noticed something strange. "She's pregnant."

Woody stopped in his tracks and walked over to Devan. He took the photos from her and looked carefully at them. "She is."

There were several other photos of a middle-aged brunette, all of which were profiled so as to emphasise her pregnancy. There was no date but on the bottom in very small print was a name: Arthur Cutsberg. Devan pointed this out to Woody, who frowned at it.

"The photographer, maybe?"

Woody stared at the fine print. "Maybe." He then dug around in the small pile of photos gathered on the desk in front of him and sorted through them. He then came across an address…Arthur Cutsberg's address to be precise. It was printed sideways in Victoria's opened diary, with a telephone number attached to it conveniently.

Devan looked to where Woody pointed, and smirked. "Too easy."

Woody folded the diary and placed it inside of his jacket, slipping it into his pocket. He took a few of the photos as well. "We'll go first thing tomorrow, but it's late. And I'm tired."

Devan looked confused. "But it's only twelve."

Woody nodded and retreated out of the room, flicking off the light as he left, leaving Devan in darkness. "Yeah, and I'm tired."

Devan sighed reluctantly. "Fine. First thing tomorrow, then." She then looked thoughtful before following Woody out into the large hall. "What are you doing tomorrow night?"

Woody sighed heavily. "Relaxing."

Devan nodded while giving the hall one final look. "Ok." She walked out of the door, following Woody into the driveway where his car was parked. "You want to do something?"

Woody stopped in his tracks. Turned to face Devan. Raised one hand in confusion. "Such as…?"

Devan shrugged and brushed passed him strategically, teasing him. "I don't know…relax."

He stared at the way she never looked back when she said that. She just kept on walking towards his car, her flashlight illuminating suddenly when she reached the passenger's side. He found himself liking the way she took control of situations…and of him. She knew she had him right where she wanted him…and so did Woody. He could see the way she planned things in her mind before saying them…and she made it sound so casual when it came out. He could see that was her greatest strength…but he also knew what her greatest weakness was.

Woody realised Devan was in his car already and waiting on him…for more than just one reason. He opened his door and sidled into the leather-covered seat. "Something would be good to do tomorrow night."

She looked at his grin. He thought he was so smart. "Pick me up at eight," she paused for a moment. "From the morgue."

His grin grew as he started the car. "It's a date."

She tried desperately not to shiver at the word, but Devan couldn't help it. It was what she wanted…but it reminded her so plainly of _him_. Some memories would never fade…

* * *

**A/N: **Dun dun dun...wonder who _he _is... 


	6. Beginning Of Forever

**A/N: **Ah…'nother long chappie coming your way but it shouldn't be too unbearable cause it's practically all romance! Yay. Explores the little 'date' at the end of _Deja Past_ in a little bit more detail and their relationship develops…a lot!

**FrenchKissingWoody: **What can I say to you that's constructive...? I'm on a high! Lol, thanks for the nice, comforting, supportive comments and putting up with my incredibly DETAILED writing for the most part...even though you don't even like this couple...maybe I'm amazed at the way you amaze me. Hm...enjoy the COUCH chapter...love ya!

**astacia: **Ooh...I have another reviewer! Thank you so much :) I feel so loved. Lol. Hope you can stomach long chapters cause this one will kill all with its size. I'm glad that there's another Devan/Woody fan amongst the minority but as for Renee and Garret...I don't really have much more to offer for them; Renee sorta disappears after that last chapter. But I'll try to work it into my sequel, I promise! Thanks again for your review!

**Disclaimer: **Eh, better do one of these. I, as much as I would like to, do not own Crossing Jordan. Or the song "Glory Box" by Portishead. Not legally, anyway. ;) Great song, though. Check it out if ya can!

**Deception**  
**Chapter 5: Beginning Of Forever**

* * *

The car came to a slow stop at the top of a dirt driveway. Arthur Cutsberg's driveway, to be precise. It was midday, and the sun was brightly shining above them. Devan shrugged off her light, black jacket, revealing the pink top she had on underneath. They had agreed to come here first, and then they would track down that dentist they needed to find in the Goodson case. This seemed like the perfect plan, only because Arthur Cutsberg's house was close enough to the precinct if they needed back up. And it would take a while to track down that one dentist they needed. 

"Did you come prepared today, Devan?"

Devan returned Woody's sarcastic look. "Breaking and entering only comes on special occasions."

"So does that tone," Woody remarked, referring to Devan's sarcasm.

Devan looked puzzled as she knocked twice on the front door. "What's special about this occasion?"

Woody clicked his tongue slyly. "Our date tonight."

Devan shrugged uncaringly. "Oh, that."

There was a moment of silence as they waited for Cutsberg to come to the door. Woody looked pensive. "What are we doing, by the way?"

Devan straightened as a shadow appeared behind the wooden front door. "You'll see." She had a vague idea but she just had to find the right excuse for it…

The door opened slowly, revealing a middle-aged man wearing ragged blue jeans and an unbuttoned shirt. His brown hair was unruly and shaggy, coming down to about his earlobes. His black eyes probed Woody's blue ones. "Can I help you?"

Woody flashed his badge. "Woody Hoyt, Boston PD. You always answer the door like that?"

The man rubbed his face with a rough hand. "Yeah. What do you want?"

Devan swallowed before smiling at the man. "We're investigating a homicide and we stumbled upon your number and address in a Victoria Castlemaine's phonebook."

Arthur Cutsberg cleared his throat before glancing around nervously. "Look, all I can tell you is that I'm a photographer and I used to take photos of Victoria."

Frowning, Woody pressed further. "Used to?"

The man nodded distantly. "Yeah, until she got pregnant."

Motioning his hand for more, Woody looked into the man's eyes. "Why did you take photos of her?"

Sighing, the man rubbed his forehead once again. "She auctioned them on a website."

Devan frowned. "Why would she auction photos of herself being pregnant?"

Arthur Cutsberg just stared at the two plainly. Devan was the first to click.

"Oh. _Until _she got pregnant." Woody stared at her with a confused look. "Pornography."

Cutsberg nodded. "That's right."

The door then slammed viciously in their faces, causing both Woody and Devan to jump slightly. Devan just shook her head while Woody rose up his hand to knock on the door. Devan stopped him by placing her own hand over his and giving him one of her looks.

She began walking back to Woody's car, her hands coming to rest on her hips. "This is leading us nowhere."

Woody nodded, stepping down from the one concrete stair that led up to the front door of Arthur Cutsberg's house. "So, where to next?"

Devan patted the pocket of her black pants. "Well, we have a mile-long list of dentists to check out."

Woody gave her a look. "That would be ten dentists to check out. And it is unlikely we will have to check every one of them before we find our man."

* * *

Lily stared straight ahead as she traced along the wooden table in the conference room with her finger. She wasn't listening to the woman in front of her, which was very irresponsible of her, but she had to sort out something in her mind before she could do anything else. Earlier that morning she had received a call from her ex-boyfriend…the one who had hit her when they were drunk one night. She had left him the next morning…straight away, but now he wanted her back. She had told him to go to hell, that she didn't want to deal with him…but he had her number. And that frightened her. 

"Excuse me…?"

Lily snapped out of her trance and turned her attention to the woman in front of her. "Sorry, I-"

The woman frowned. "You…don't know where the bathrooms are…?"

Lily widened her eyes. "Um…of course. I'll show you where they are…"

Had that been what the woman had asked? Where the bathrooms were? She had to stop zoning out during sessions…

* * *

It was like a train that wasn't moving forward when it was supposed to. There wasn't enough electricity to keep the train going so it just stopped in its tracks. That was exactly how their case was; an idle train. And it was so confusing. Nothing fit where it was supposed to and just when they thought they had figured it all out, something else came into the picture and disturbed it all. Maybe Woody was right…maybe they should just give it up… 

"Hey, Love," Nigel stopped in his tracks and stared at Devan's hair. "Big night?"

Devan laughed, sliding off her desk slowly. "Actually I went crazy with the hair-straightener."

Nigel flitted through some notes on a clipboard. "Looks good." He noticed Devan glancing out towards the hallway of the morgue. "Waiting for someone?"

Devan looked up, her eyes trying to conceal the truth. Though to no avail. "Woody and I have been working on this case…"

"Ah," Nigel closed over the clipboard, "the old 'working together' excuse. I will say this, Love: too much of one thing always ends badly."

Devan raised her eyebrows with a grin. "We're running away to Vegas to get married. I thought you knew." She looked at Nigel's puzzled look and sighed. "We're just going to…relax. That's all."

Nigel nodded and chew on the gum in his mouth impulsively. "You don't have to tell me twice. That Woodrow certainly needs it, that's for sure."

Devan frowned, then smirked at Nigel's mischievous grin. "What are we talking about, here?"

Swallowing hard, Nigel inclined his eyebrows. "Have fun."

With that, he walked out of Devan's office quickly, rounding the corner before Devan could retort. All she could do was sigh and shake her head. She then picked up a few papers and placed them carefully into her bag and walked out of her office, turning the opposite way down the hall to where Nigel had gone. She was met with an exhausted Jordan suddenly and she smiled, still walking down the hall.

"See you tomorrow."

Jordan nodded. "Yeah. Hey, big plans tonight?"

Devan stopped and tilted her head back. "No, I'm just going to go home, rent a movie…order take-out."

Jordan sighed. "Nights like that are underrated. It's a perfectly acceptable evening. I might even take your queue."

"Good." Then Woody walked in.

"Hey, Devan. You ready to do this, I'm double-parked?" He gave her an impatient look before flicking Jordan a glance.

Devan nodded. "Yeah."

He circled an unsure arm around Devan's shoulders and looked back at Jordan. "Take care, Jordan."

Devan turned back at that. "Have a nice evening."

Jordan nodded, still slightly dazed. "You too."

Woody leaned in towards Devan, flashing her a smile. "You look…terrific."

Jordan could only stare at them. They were hanging out again. _Again_. And they were actually _happy_. Jordan knew she should be glad for them, that they were working…but she just couldn't feel it. What she and Woody once had was special. And who the hell was Devan to just come in and steal it all away from her?

* * *

When they reached his car, Woody started the questions. "Ok, I've waited the entire day to find out what we're doing and you haven't said a thing." 

Devan smirked and slipped into his car, taking advantage of the gentleman he was being by opening her door for her. When he sat down on his side, she gave him an innocent look. "Yes I have."

Puzzled, Woody started the car. "What have you said?"

Devan leaned back into the beige leather seating. "Do you know the way to the massage parlour?"

Woody opened his mouth…wide. "No way."

Devan nodded proudly. "Way."

* * *

There should be a limit to how much pleasure you give a man on your first date...because he was enjoying this way too much. He stretched out his muscles…slowly, in front of her. His towel was wrapped tightly around his waist, exposing his bare chest. His gorgeous bare chest. Water droplets ran in rivulets down his body, accentuating his muscle tone as the tiny beads caught themselves within the ridges of his chest and torso. He smiled down at her as he stretched his arms out. 

"That spa…" he began with a wide grin, "was amazing."

Devan returned his grin, though she knew she didn't really hold the reigns anymore. Woody knew both her strength and weakness lay in him. "Wasn't it?"

He leaned in closer. "Yeah, with all the jet bubbles and everything…"

He was talking slowly, teasing her. Their roles had been reversed. He knew he had her and her guard was down completely. "And that's only the beginning."

She countered his slow voice…just as a woman entered the room. She was wearing a bathrobe and her blonde hair came down to her back. Woody stared at her.

"Hi. I'm Melinda and I will be your masseur tonight." The woman walked over to the long table, to which she motioned for Woody to lie on. He did obligingly, smiling up at Devan fleetingly, who began to lie down on her table. When both were comfortable on their respective benches, Melinda began to work her hands down Woody's back, causing him to sigh. She was good, very good.

Just as Woody was getting comfortable with the fact that a hot woman was giving him a massage, a well-toned black man entered the room. He had only a towel around his waist and showed no attempt to cover up his well-developed chest muscles. When he leaned over Devan and whispered something in her ear, Woody swatted Melinda's hand away.

Devan grinned. "Hey, Randy."

Woody looked between Devan and the man she was calling Randy. "Wait…Randy?"

Devan looked expectantly at Woody. She had the upper hand once again. "Yeah. Randy's my weekly masseur."

Woody's eyes widened as Randy gently peeled the towel off Devan's back. "Whoa…wait! Maybe we should…swap here."

Randy frowned, as did Melinda. Devan could only smile innocently. "But…I _always_ have Randy."

She was talking slowly again and this time Woody relaxed, resigning to Devan's working attempts at making him jealous. Yeah, they were working. But he relaxed nonetheless. Melinda moved her hands down his back, towards the small ridge, which he flinched at.

"You're holding a lot of tension in that area…" Melinda crooned gently.

Woody nodded almost apathetically. "Yeah…it's all those weights I work. Every morning I do two hours of weight training."

Randy circled his hands around Devan's shoulder blades. "How's your karate going, Devan?"

Devan sighed enthusiastically. "It's good. I broke a board the other day. It felt _so _good."

Woody swallowed…hard. "K-karate?"

Devan nodded. "Mmm, it's great. You should try it."

Woody slammed his head down into the small hole. She was beating him…badly.

* * *

"So…what's that guy's name again?" Devan sat on her blue suede couch with her legs up beside her, as she pointed to the television. 

Woody took another sip from his bottle of beer. "Cipher."

Devan nodded, absorbing this. "Right…and he's a bad guy?"

Woody shook his hand slightly. "Kind of. He was good but he turns bad."

Devan sighed as she leaned forward to grab her bottle of beer. "Well, in my opinion, there are only two types of people: the good or the bad."

Woody looked at her seriously. "That is very narrow-minded of you, Maguire."

Countering his level look, Devan stared into his eyes. "Guess I am just narrow-minded, Hoyt."

The staring contest ended abruptly as the music elevated in the movie and another person was killed. Woody shook his head slightly. "So then, what are you; good…or bad?"

The way he accentuated that last word made Devan turn around and give him a dirty look. Woody could only grin. Score!

"Just wonderin'."

"Hmm…well just don't."

"Got it."

They both stared at the screen in silence before another incredibly unreal stunt occurred. Woody took it all in while Devan shook her had at it.

"Oh come on! Like that would ever happen!"

Woody sighed. "Well Devan, that's what imagination is for."

Devan looked at him with confused eyes. "Ok so far, my imagination is running everywhere. Not in your direction, by the way. I still haven't been able to figure out a thing about this movie. Apart from them having really good costumes."

Taking yet another sip of his beer, Woody thought of something. "It _is _just a movie. Anyway, what do you go for more; the tight leather look or the long, sexy coat?"

The answer came abruptly. "I personally prefer spandex."

Woody laughed and looked at her sideways. "I can certainly make that happen. And about the movie, there's a whole complex theory based on it."

Devan gave a confused look. "But is that really the point? Being complicated beyond comprehension?"

"Yes, and you want to know why?" Woody lifted up a finger.

"Enlighten me."

Woody smiled triumphantly. "So that everyone can instead focus on the romance."

Devan perked up immediately. "Romance? Ooh, I like this movie."

Woody put on a dull voice. "Devan, why do you think they call him 'The One'?

"Because he's 'The One'…" Devan nodded emphatically.

"Exactly."

Devan sat back against the soft couch as the credits rolled up the screen. "Ok…that was romantic. I don't get it, but it was romantic."

Woody leaned back too, folding his arms up around his head. "See, told you. I think I've had _way _too much 'happy food'," he said, gesturing to the empty Chinese boxes.

"And beer."

"And beer," he echoed. "I don't think I can eat anymore."

Devan tilted her head. "You want some ice cream?"

"Sure."

Devan placed her hand on Woody's leg and vaulted off of him, making him wince. She walked around the coffee table and over to the kitchen. As she flicked on the light, Woody flinched at the brightness. He watched her the entire time…her movements, her characteristics…the way she would do things in a way only she could. She looked up suddenly from the kitchen, her eyes searching his face.

"Triple-chocolate or coffee?"

Woody sighed. "Coffee. Please."

She walked back over with two tubs, each with their own spoon. "Guess the triple-choc's mine, then."

"Guess so."

Before she sat down next to him, Devan walked over to the stereo system and put in a random disc, pushing down on a button. A song began playing, softly.

**- _I'm so tired, of playing  
Playing with this bow and arrow  
Gonna give my heart away  
Leave it to the other girls to play  
For I've been a temptress too long -_**

They ate in silence, just taking in the song and the ice cream that melted on their tongues. Despite their teasing, there was still tension in the room from the unresolved kiss all those nights ago. Even though their relationship had…developed slightly, they still didn't know quite where they stood with each other.

Woody was the first to break the silence. "You know, I have a fear of red pen."

Devan turned her head to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

Nodding enthusiastically, Woody twisted his body around so he was completely facing Devan. "Yeah. All through school, when I would see red pen corrections all over my work, I would freak. There's just something about that colour pen that just…sets me off."

She could tell he was joking, in part, but it strangely made sense. "Yeah…I see your point. Vaguely."

**- _Just…  
_**_**Give me a reason to love you  
Give me a reason to be a woman  
I just wanna be a woman –**_

There was silence again. Devan frowned at it. It shouldn't have to be that way.

"Woody," she began quietly, but he ignored her, cutting her off quickly.

"What was your first kiss like?"

Devan stared. "Excuse me? What was _yours _like?"

Woody smirked mischievously. "Underneath the table in the first grade. Her name was Lucinda Bolton and we were six. Great kisser, she was."

Amused, Devan laughed. "You get caught?"

"Yeah," Woody's grin faulted her a second, his mind remembering the embarrassing ordeal. "All the kids laughed. What about you?"

Sighing reluctantly, Devan gave Woody a slightly impatient look. They weren't exactly supposed to be _talking _about it… "My friend's twelfth birthday party. It was a beach party and my friend told me this guy, Michael, was going to kiss me at midnight. He did."

Woody dug his spoon into the small tub of ice cream. "Sounds very romantic."

"Was very awkward."

**_- From this time, unchained  
We're all looking at a different picture  
Through this new frame of mind  
A thousand flowers could bloom  
Move over, and give us some room -_**

After another moment of silence, Devan looked down at her tub of ice cream, then glanced at Woody. "Hey, you have to try this."

Woody leaned forward expectantly when Devan held out her spoon, and when he took it in his mouth, he raised his eyebrows. He had caught a whiff of Devan's perfume on the way down… "That's nice…the ice cream, I mean. And your perfume."

**_- Give me a reason to love you  
Give me a reason to be a woman  
I just wanna be a woman -_**

It was rose oil. Devan smiled lightly and leaned back into the arm of the couch, just looking at Woody. "Thank you."

Her voice was serious. Not flirtatious…not light. Serious. Woody could see in her eyes what she really wanted but…could he do that? Three years of 'dancing' with Jordan and now it was Devan he was after. She saw the flicker of hesitation in his eyes before it vanished into a smirk. The empty ice cream tubs were placed on the coffee table before Woody leaned over. Devan drew back slightly…but surrendered and melted into his light kiss. She had longed for his kiss ever since she had first tasted his lips, but she didn't know that it would come this quickly…and last this long.

Woody pressed down on her lips harder, deepening the kiss when his tongue south entrance. Devan let him go deeper, though hesitantly, almost afraid of what was happening. But why? She had wanted this, after all. They broke apart suddenly, Woody drawing himself back. He was grinning.

"So…was I better than Michael?"

Again, a swift answer. "No."

"Ok," Woody nodded and leaned in again, kissing her once. "Now?"

"Getting warmer," Devan grinned.

Woody kissed her again, deeper this time. "What about that?"

"Equally good."

Woody sighed then. He cupped his hands around her face and leaned over her, drawing her back down against the couch. He kissed her slowly, just as her head touched the arm of the couch. "And that?"

Devan inhaled shakily, her hands resting on Woody's chest. "Better."

**_- So don't you stop being a man  
Just take a little look from our side when you can  
Sow a little tenderness  
No matter if you cry -_**

He lay over her, his legs intertwined with hers. It was awkward but it worked. He grinned down at her when she sighed impatiently at his delay. He was teasing her, testing her boundaries. He leaned down once again and planted a soft kiss on her lips; Devan's back arched slightly. One of her arms hooked coyly around his neck while the other one still rested on his chest. As he kissed her slowly, Woody's hand trailed slowly up Devan's leg. When it reached the hem of her black pants, Devan broke the kiss immediately, straightening slightly, causing Woody to sit up.

He looked at her with worried eyes. "What?"

Her eyes searched his face, her breath erratic from gasping for air. "I need to know Jordan has nothing to do with this."

Woody exhaled softly with a sigh. "Why the hell would Jordan have anything to do with this?"

"Because she has everything to do with this," Devan replied coolly, giving him a knowing look. Jordan had been the reason he had turned away from her kiss the first time.

Woody's eyes reached the base of the blue suede couch. He thought for a moment in dead silence. "Do…do you want to take this slow?"

With much effort, Devan nodded. "Yeah. Or at least…slower."

"Ok. Then I should go."

**_- Give me a reason to love you  
Give me a reason to be a woman  
Its all I wanna be is all woman -_**

They walked to the door in silence, Devan slightly rubbing her arms. Though it was not cold, she shivered. They reached the door and Woody opened it slowly. He turned around to face Devan, sincerity glowing in his features.

"I had a great time tonight. It was amazing. Thank you."

Devan smiled warmly. "Couldn't have done it without you."

Woody nodded vastly. "Yes…you could have."

Shrugging, Devan frowned lightly. "Well not the kissing aspect."

"Got a point there," Woody took a step out of the apartment, still holding the door open. "You want to do this again sometime?"

Devan nodded. "How's next week? I'm working late but you could swing by the morgue…"

Woody grinned. "Sounds great. I like the morgue when it's quiet."

He leaned forward and kissed her lightly, making sure she was ok with that. When he smiled goodnight, Devan held on to the door and watched him leave. Thinking of something, she called after him…

"Hey, was I better than Lucinda?"

Woody turned around. "No," he said, shaking his head, grinning widely.

Devan smiled when she closed the door over. Leaning her head back against it, she sighed contently.

**_-_ _For this is the beginning of forever and ever  
_****_It's time to move over… -_**

* * *

**A/N: **Just as a side note, I don't own _The Matrix_, in case you didn't guess what movie they were watching ;) And Jennifer Finnigan actually does karate. Heh, who would've thought? 


	7. Somewhere In The Middle

**A/N: **I'm back again. I think it's been less than a week...a new record for me. Slightly shorter chapter but with a bit of 'case' work included. Romance comes later...sort of.

**FrenchKissingWoody: **lol, I still can't get over your name...it's strange writing it out ;) Hey, you haven't updated in ages! Get your ass to a computer quickly! I'm missing my favourite 'teeth' story...Thank you for the review, as usual :)

**astacia: **Hehe...I like writing notes to reviewers...it makes me feel all...connected and stuff. Thanks for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it. Never will.

**Deception  
****Chapter 6: Somewhere In The Middle**

* * *

In full light, the mansion seemed to glitter in the sun. Its old Victorian style mantels blended brilliantly well with the small veranda to the side of it. The large windows made of thick glass seemed almost impenetrable as each panel lay in perfect order to the one next to it. The magnificent wooden door stood solid before them both as the need to knock came into play. Before Devan could though, Woody placed a firm hand on her hip from behind. 

"You sure about this?"

Smirking at his concerned whisper, Devan nodded. "I have the lock pick ready, just in case."

Rolling his eyes, Woody leaned in closer. "No, I meant are you sure you want to go back in?"

Devan bowed her head confusedly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because we might find something…we missed last week."

Shrugging off his hand, Devan turned the door handle when there was no answer. It was unlocked. "I like intrigue."

"I know you do," Woody muttered under his breath.

It had been one week since…well, the couch. And they hadn't talked about it since…as usual. A relationship had to be built carefully, and not just on sexuality. Well, sometimes _that _was a good thing but in the case of their relationship…it had to be a delicate one. But strangely, though they hadn't known each other for a long time, it seemed they knew everything about one another. Maybe it was because they just connected…or maybe they were meant to be.

There was no need for lighting this time as the sun shone through the large glass windows. Devan looked around the hallway once again, this time inspecting the detail surrounding the staircase. It had been a while since the wooden floors had been varnished, and the paint on the walls was slowly beginning to peel, the edges revealing brown blotches of wood. They both walked up the stairs cautiously, aware that there might very well be someone there.

Woody called out, yelling across the hall. "Hello? Anyone home?"

There was no answer and Devan took another step…but stopped as something crunched beneath her heeled shoe. "Woody…"

The detective walked over to her, staring at what she held. "A key?"

Sure enough, a brass key lay in the palm of Devan's hand. "I wonder what's it's for."

Woody took it from her hand, studying it. "I don't think it's for anything inside of the house; the patterning is different than the lock hole on the front door."

Devan frowned playfully. "I thought that was my line."

Closing over his hand with the key firmly inside, Woody smiled at her look. "You don't have to be an expert at picking locks to know that much. Let's look outside."

The two reached the back garden, which was really nothing spectacular. There was a small fountain with a mermaid perched on the top of it spurting water from its mouth. There were fish swimming in the small pond at the bottom, but the actual water looked like it hadn't been cleaned out for a few weeks. A swooping willow tree draped over a dying vegetable garden in the far corner, while flowers grew steadily in the adjacent one. Then there was a shed…with flies swarming around it. Thousands of flies, it seemed, for there looked to be a black sphere surrounding the silver door handle. The shed was corrugated iron, with a curvy roof and slanted walls. It was oddly out of place and indeed strange to mingle with such a magnificent mansion.

Woody walked up to the door, swatting the flies away with a firm hand. He tried the handle, but the door wouldn't move. Then he tried the key…and it opened with a screech of metal-against-metal. The flies were quick to smarm into the shed, and as Woody picked his way through, he came to a dead stop. Beneath him lay the body of a woman…a middle-aged woman with brown hair and decaying features. He didn't need to look through her pockets; he knew who she was. Victoria Castlemaine.

* * *

Nigel paced inside of Devan's small office, waiting for the blonde M.E. to appear for him. He had been called in to help her and Woody with their case, now that they had a body to work with. He had been given the job of testing the DNA of Victoria Castlemaine and the blood that was found over two weeks ago in the park. It was a match; they were the same person.

Devan poked her head through the door. "Do you have a match?"

Nigel nodded while holding out several papers. "Yep. One and the same."

Taking the files, Devan sighed. "Ok. Jordan and I will get on to the autopsy. Thanks, Nigel."

Smiling at her, Nigel put his hands in his back pockets. "Keep me posted."

Devan nodded and after smiling a quick goodbye, headed towards the body in autopsy, hoping Jordan hadn't begun without her. She hadn't. Though what she had down was lain Victoria onto her back, revealing a gaping exit wound left by the murder weapon. Devan cringed at it.

"Wow. Went deep, didn't it?"

Jordan nodded with an open mouth. "Sure did. It's the shape of an arch…or hook, or something. Definitely not a knife."

Devan walked over to the table. "Yeah. I looked through her clothes and there was a hole right through her shirt. Didn't look like a knife wound."

Jordan looked down at the messy wound. "Judging from this, it couldn't have been more than

a foot in length, though nothing smaller either, since it went right through her torso."

Devan nodded and closed over her eyes in thought. "I have an idea."

And with that, Devan whirled out of the room, disappearing down one of the halls. Jordan was left to stare after her.

"What's new," she muttered.

Devan walked quickly towards the recreation room…and was met with a dazed Woody. The two stopped close to one another, both slightly flustered at the tension. Their faces were inches apart and both could feel the other's breathing fan over them. They stood that way for a long moment, before they realised they had been walking in opposite directions. With a slightly sheepish look, Devan excused herself quickly before walking into the room Woody had come out of. Without looking back at her, Woody walked in the direction Devan had just come from.

Finding Jordan tracing Victoria's body with a blue laser, Woody stopped. "What's up?"

Jordan sighed and switched off the monitor. "The wound doesn't match any weapon I've ever seen. It's like a hook…or something curved from the middle upwards. Sort of like-"

"A banana?" Devan walked through the swinging doors, revealing in her hand a ripe, yellow banana.

Woody smirked. "Is that for me?"

Devan ignored him but gave him a look. "I'm not suggesting that Victoria was killed by a banana, by any means, but something resembling one did."

Woody rubbed his chin with his hand, then stared at Devan. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"If it involves a goat in any way," Devan smirked, "then, yeah."

* * *

"Ok," Woody walked up to the door. "We're just here to tell him about Victoria's body being found. Right?"

Devan nodded from beside him. "That's the plan. See how he reacts."

Knocking loudly on the glass panel, Woody inhaled deeply. "I can do that."

"Good," Devan nodded slightly, giving him a coy look. "At least you're not rough all the time."

Woody stared at her as the door was answered by a curious Adam Moore. Moore then looked flustered as he realised who it was knocking on his door. "What do you want?"

Clearing her throat, Devan gave the man a sincere look. "We've found Victoria Castlemaine. She turned up dead at her mansion."

Eyes turned from green ones to blue ones as Adam Moore just stood there, his body twitching slightly with his eye movements. Not a single word was spoken for several moments as the shocking news seeped into him. Tears welled up, but refused to fall out of the rims of his eyes. Instead they just remained, cooling in the light afternoon breeze. At last, the man moved to the side of the door, his hand open and gesturing towards his living room.

"Come in."

Devan looked to Woody and they shared a silent thought before they walked through the open door. Familiarity struck them both as they walked down the hall and into the living room, each sitting down on the single couch…then both of them shifted slightly so that they were a fair distance apart.

Woody began with a serious voice. "Mr. Moore, Victoria was found with a stab wound. We don't know what the murder weapon was," his eyes flicked towards where the goat's horn had hung on the wall and found it not there, "but we do want to find whoever killed her."

Turning from Woody to Adam Moore, Devan took a shaky breath. "We need your help, Mr. Moore."

"Call me Adam," he croaked in a barely audible voice.

"Adam," Woody's eyes probed the man's. "Can you tell us where you were the night Victoria Castlemaine was murdered?"

Adam nodded slowly, drawing a sharp breath. "I was there, at the park. Victoria called me that afternoon, saying that she had something to tell me. She chose the time and place, I just had to show up. We hadn't seen each other since my wife, Kathleen, left me."

Woody nodded, gesturing for the man to continue.

"So I showed up at eleven thirty, and it didn't take me long to find her. She was standing by a tree, the tree in the photo you showed me," Moore flicked his hand to Woody. "She looked unwell, sickly almost in the pale moonlight. She told me she had leukaemia and was dying. I couldn't believe it. I started yelling at her, asking her why she didn't get treatment when she had the chance. She said it was because she wanted to die naturally, and when God told her to."

"What happened then?" Devan folded her arms over her chest.

Adam Moore stared into her eyes, his own as hollow as the wind. Something flickered in them before it faded quickly. "I left. She wanted me to leave. She wanted freedom."

Woody looked down fleetingly before glancing into Moore's eyes. "You didn't kill her?"

Those eyes continued to stare forward, the lids never closing over to blink. "No."

* * *

Lily stared at the front desk, which was occupied by no one but a stranger. Someone she didn't recognise, but felt immediately attracted to. His copper hair fell across his face mysteriously and his light blue eyes scanned over the desk, impatience warily creeping into them. Looking left and right, Lily could see no one coming to this man's rescue, so…why not her?

"Can I help you?"

The man looked over and locked his eyes with hers in a gentle smile. "Yeah, you can. I'm Nathan Spalding and I'm looking for Devan Maguire. I was told she works here."

Lily nodded. "Uh, yeah. I'll just go get her for you."

Nathan smiled his appreciation and flashed perfect teeth. "Thanks…?"

"Lily. Lily Lebowski."

"That's a beautiful name, Lily," Nathan dug his hands deep into his coat pockets.

Lily's smile widened. "Thank you."

Turning around, she exhaled silently and walked towards Devan's small office. She crossed Jordan on her way and waved a quick greeting before turning a corner. Opening the door, she found Devan leaning against her desk and Sidney talking to her seriously. The blonde looked up and smiled when she saw Lily.

"Lily, what's up?"

Giving her a smile, Lily breathed in deeply. "Gorgeous guy at the front desk for you. Says his name is Nathan."

Devan's smile disappeared suddenly, fear rising in her eyes. "What?"

Lily frowned, confused. "Do you want me to get rid of him…?"

Devan shook her head fiercely. "No, I'll go. Thanks."

Both Sidney and Lily stared worriedly after her, exchanging curious looks. Sidney was the one to break the silence. "What was that about?"

Lily shook her head distantly. "I have no idea."

Devan rounded the corner…and stopped in her tracks when she saw him. His long copper hair falling freely down his face, his blue eyes reaching hers and smiling. His amazing build was carefully hidden behind his decent clothes, however she hadn't forgotten how developed he had been. He lifted up a hand to wave and amazingly she found hers following suit.

When she reached him, he embraced her in a long hug, which she accepted willingly. It had been almost a year since she had seen him. Taking in his scent once again, Devan realised just how much she had missed him.

"Devan," he smiled when he carefully broke the hug. "It's good to see you."

Devan couldn't help smiling back. "Good to see you. It's been…"

"Forever," Nathan finished her sentence for her. He always could do that.

"Yeah," she breathed. "So what brings you to Boston? Last time I saw you we were both in Washington."

Nathan nodded sombrely. "_He _wants to see you again, Devan. He misses you."

She knew whom he was talking about and suddenly her eyes turned cold. "There's not a chance in hell I'm ever seeing him again. Not after what he did last year."

Nathan sighed, understanding. "He really has changed, Devan. You should see him now…"

"I don't want to see him," Devan cut him off angrily. "I don't even want to speak of him again. I don't know how you could stay with him after what he did."

Bowing his head and sighing again, Nathan curled an arm around Devan's waist and drew her in. "He's my brother. I had to."

Devan frowned and looked to his neck. "So…you chose him over me. Doing what I did, making the biggest mistake…"

Nathan nodded once. "You're right. Your biggest mistake _was_ choosing him over me, and that cost you. But you learned from it and you left before he could hurt you anymore."

Devan laughed ironically. "That still didn't stop the six months of pleas and phone calls."

Brushing Devan's newly straightened hair from her face, he gently smiled. "But you beat him, didn't you. He left you alone after that."

"Until now," Devan frowned again, pulling back from Nathan's embrace.

Nathan dug his hands into his pockets. He did that when he was nervous. "He just wants to talk, that's all. Sort some things out. Anyway, I should get going. I don't want to hold you up."

Devan perked up suddenly. "I'll give you my address. Come by sometime whenever you're around."

Nathan nodded while Devan scribbled on a piece of paper. "I'm here for four weeks, so I'll be sure to drop by."

* * *

"_How _is _Devan?"_

"_Doctor Maguire? How should I know?"_

Woody whistled at the memory. Jordan knew something about his relationship with the blonde doctor and it clearly was upsetting her. And that suited Woody just fine. Not that he really wanted her to suffocate from jealousy, but after three years of set-backs and rejection, he was relieved to know that he could turn the tables this time. Jordan was finally seeing that, although he still had feelings for her, she didn't come first with him anymore. No, that position had been filled by Devan Maguire.

Rounding the final corner, he found her office door wide open. She was there, standing over her desk and burying her thoughts in papers. Typical. Well, he just had to take her mind of work…

Silently creeping up behind her, he slipped his arms around her waist and drew her in, kissing her neck once. She didn't look up from her desk but Woody heard her breathe in deeply. He whispered gently to her, "Are we alone?"

She turned around and placed her arms around his neck, smiling distantly. "Yes."

It was late and Devan was working the graveyard shift. But…they were going to relax and not work. Woody leaned down and kissed her lips. She returned the kiss, but broke it several seconds later. She looked Woody in the eye seriously.

"We're supposed to be doing work," she said gently.

Woody nodded. "Yeah, serious work." He kissed her again.

Again, she broke away. "Then let's do it," she paused as she looked at his smirk. "The work."

He licked his lips. "Oh."

Slipping her arms down from his shoulders, Devan turned back to her desk and sat down on her chair, reading over more notes. Placing his hands into his coat pockets, Woody ventured towards the back of the office, which became a small laboratory with a few benches and draws. He stalked further into the lab and didn't hear the knock on the open door.

"Doctor Maguire?"

Devan looked up at the voice. "Emmy, hey."

Emmy peeked further into the office, probing Devan's eyes. "I was wondering if you were done with those reports for Doctor Macy…?"

Devan glanced at her papers before gathering them up in a bundle. "Um…yeah. Can you run them to his office for me?"

A voice from the back of the office rang out. "Hey, did you know there are floating rats in here?"

Devan cringed at Woody's…strange question, Emmy raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, but they're not for us, Woody."

Woody came out from the darkness of the shadows. "Oh…hey, Emmy."

"Detective Hoyt," Emmy replied shyly.

Devan handed the notes to the other woman. "Thanks, Emmy."

When she was gone, Woody gave Devan a scathing look. "I thought you said we were alone."

Devan sighed. "By alone I meant Jordan's not here."

"Oh," Woody smirked. "So, who else is here?"

"Emmy, of course," Devan replied distantly, "Sidney, though I don't know why, and a few of the night staff. Haven't you ever seen those rats before?"

Woody shook his head. "Nope."

Before Devan could respond, her phone began ringing. "Yellow?"

Woody smiled at the playful greeting while Devan immediately straightened when she heard the voice on the other end.

"Mother, hi," Devan quickly raised her eyebrows in Woody's direction. "How are you?"

The voice on the other end replied casually. "Good, Honey. What are you doing?"

"I'm at work," she flashed a smirk, Woody cocking his head to the side. "Doing work."

When Woody laughed, a question was raised immediately by Devan's mother. "What was that?"

Devan quickly moved her phone into her other hand and held it up to her other ear. "Um, the dead guy coming back to life. So why are you calling?"

The senior Maguire was quick to respond. "I'm here in Boston for a few weeks, just wondered if we could catch up sometime?"

Devan nodded, though she knew her mother couldn't see her. "Sure. Listen, can I call you back tomorrow morning, I'm kind of busy right now."

"Sure, Honey."

After saying a quick goodbye, Devan closed over her phone. She gave Woody an apologetic look, while he just stared at her.

"Mother?"

Devan shook her head. "Don't ask."

Woody walked over to Devan and drew her in. "Ok, I won't. But I will order the Chinese."

Nodding, Devan shrugged off Woody's grip on her waist. "And I," she walked over to the open door, "will close the door."

* * *

**A/N: **Just a quick note, remember Nathan ok. He's important... 


	8. Spun Webs

**A/N:** Me is back. Prepare yourselves for this one (Ellen, I know you've read it...well...sorta...but who can resist reading it again!) The end of this chapter sets up a nice morning...

**frenchkissingwoody: **Gr, your name's getting really annoying...anywho, chair throwing is really tempting right now...Thanks for the review, hun. Your reaction to my action is what I want to see. lol, ignore that.

**astacia: **Lol, floating rats. Hehe, I was thinking of my science labs and after I wrote it I was like "What the hell?" And Woody will be meeting the parents very soon, mark my words. Thanks for the review!

**Disclaimer: **I'm sorry I don't own it.

**Deception  
Chapter 7: Spun Webs**

* * *

There was panic and chaos…once again. This time, however, there was a body. And a confirmation of identity as Woody picked through the victim's pockets. A wallet with quite a bit of cash and an ID card. This woman was Kathleen Moore…and she had turned up dead that afternoon outside of a local restaurant. The owner was panicking, thinking he would be sued because of food poisoning, but Woody knew better. Kathleen Moore had been murdered. Murder, intentional killing. She had been a target. 

Devan comforted a young woman who had discovered the body. She said she had been walking down the ally behind the restaurant when she had found Kathleen. She had been the one to call the police and when they arrived, she had broken down. The owner of the restaurant stalked up to Devan then, his face ashen with fear.

"People are going to sue, aren't they?"

Devan squeezed the young woman's shoulder comfortingly and then steered her towards Detective Adrian Lenning. Then she turned to the stocky man in front of her. "Mr. Falkner, this may not have been food poisoning. And if anyone does sue, then we will exonerate you, I promise."

Woody walked over to them, peeling off his gloves and turning to shake the man's hand. "Mr. Falkner, we need to know what happened. Now…Kathleen Moore was dining at your restaurant not long ago…?"

Mr. Falkner nodded vaguely. "Yeah, she and another man. About two hours ago."

"Another man?" Devan inquired, leaning forward.

The man nodded. "Tall, blonde hair, amazing green eyes. Pretty lanky."

Woody's face shrunk in, his eyes finding Devan's. "Adam."

"Adam! That's it," Mr. Falkner exclaimed. "They had been fighting. Yelling even and after she shouted his name I paid close attention to them. It was so heated I thought they were literally going to reach out and strangle each other then and there."

Devan nodded slowly. "How long did they talk for?"

The man looked thoughtful and sighed. "Must have been around half an hour. Oh, and after about twenty minutes, she went off to the bathroom. I stopped looking then, though I did see him lean forward over her drink for a second…"

"And slip something in?" Woody questioned swiftly.

Mr. Falkner shrugged. "I wouldn't know. But it did look that way."

Woody inhaled a deep breath, looking to Devan. "Let's get her in."

Devan only nodded once.

* * *

Jordan traced her gloved hand over Kathleen's back. "No outward injury." 

A machine bleeped and Devan went over and pulled out a piece of paper from it. "Tox screen."

Jordan looked up when Devan walked back over and skimmed through the paper. Then Devan stopped and stared. Jordan became curious. "What?"

The blonde looked up, swallowing hard. "Sodium Morphate was found. A high level of it."

Jordan frowned. "Blood thinner? Often found in rat poison?"

Devan nodded slowly. "That's the one. In high doses, it induces a heart attack and is virtually unstoppable unless medication is taken straight away. Let's look at her heart."

* * *

They found themselves knocking on his door for the third time in less than a month. Except this time they had a team backing them up. The evidence they had found in Kathleen's body linked him to the murder and he would be charged with it, however he decided to plead. 

Woody shifted his weight from one foot to the other, glancing over at Devan. "Are you sure that's what you found?"

Devan nodded. "Sodium Morphate. Poison."

Woody sighed then straightened as a shadow appeared behind the door. It opened to reveal Adam Moore, whose hair was messy and his clothes in disarray. His breath completely reeked of alcohol. But somehow he wasn't drunk enough to say anything. He just stood there with a solemn look, knowing what he had down and knowing what would happen to him because of it.

Woody swallowed before taking out handcuffs from his pocket. "Adam Moore, I'm arresting you for the murder of Kathleen Moore."

Moore stood silent and willing as his hands were placed behind his back and the cuffs tightly encircled his wrists. His green eyes stared forward, not once blinking. Just staring.

* * *

With a towel tightly wrapped around her, Devan walked casually out of her bathroom, another towel rubbing furiously over her hair, attempting to loosen the water from it. She walked out into the living room and stopped suddenly when she heard a rustle. A man jumped from the couch and Devan stifled a scream, recognising the man immediately. 

"God, Nathan," she held up a hand to her forehead.

"Sorry," Nathan walked towards her slowly, his hands rising in defence. "Sorry. Your door was open so I came in when there was no answer. You were in the shower and I didn't want to interrupt."

Devan smiled at him, not even bothering to care that she was only wearing a towel. "So, what brings you here?"

Nathan grimaced and put both of his hands behind his head. "I got another call from him today. He wants an answer."

Devan sighed and tightened the towel impulsively. "Well, I'm not giving him one. Let him be in the dark for a change."

It was Nathan's turn to sigh. "Devan, he's been in the dark for a year. At least just call him…tell him how you feel about it."

"I don't want to," she articulated slowly as she took the towel from her hair. It was curly again. "Can I get you anything?"

Nathan took in the obvious implication for him to leave and shook his head. He headed towards the door and was about to open it when it did that for him. Woody walked in then, looking firstly at Devan in her towel, then at Nathan who was close to the door.

"Hi…"

Devan ignored Woody's confused voice, irritated slightly. "Woody, this is Nathan. He's an old friend of mine."

The two men shook hands, both exchanging terse greetings. Nathan then tucked a few strands of his long auburn hair behind his ear. "I was just leaving."

He stepped past Woody and said goodbye to both of them before looking into Devan's eyes seriously. "He wants an answer."

Devan waved goodbye then rubbed her forehead, ignoring Woody's inquisitive look. "How ya doing, Woody?"

Woody, still confused at Devan's cold tone, stepped forward and kissed her lightly. "Good. I think. I'll let you get ready."

Devan nodded her thanks and gestured towards the television. "The game's still on."

Woody smiled at that and kissed her again before walking over to the blue couch and sitting down, switching on the screen with the remote.

* * *

Jordan greeted them when they walked through the door of the Pogue. Just about everyone else was there, including the birthday boy. Bug was happily chatting with Lily on a stool when they walked over together and interrupted, Devan lightly kissing his cheek while Woody gripped his arm firmly. Lily beamed at them both from the stool next to Bug's and as Jordan poured them both beers, they made their way to the back of the bar, where Nigel was playing pool against Garret. 

Devan leaned in close to whisper in Woody's ear. "You have a glow."

Woody smiled and kissed her straight her. "I'm happy. I just arrested a guilty man."

Upon nodding, Devan ran her tongue over her teeth. "You want to arrest me?"

Woody wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned close to her ear. "I thought that was my line."

She laughed at his whisper and walked up the wooden stairs, greeting both Nigel and Garret. "Who's winning?"

Garret immediately offered his stick to Devan, sighing as he walked down the stairs in frustration. Woody stared after him before glancing at Nigel. "I'm assuming you were…?"

Nigel nodded in enthusiasm. "Yep. And now I'm looking for someone fresh to slaughter."

Woody smirked, holding up Devan's hand. "Take her. But I'll have to teach her how to play, first."

Devan smirked and played along, allowing Woody to slip his arms over her from behind, placing his hands just inches away from hers on the large stick. "Teach away."

His head came to lean in beside hers, his eyes focussed on a target. He drove his arms back slightly, taking hers with them, as well as the stick. "You have to drive your arms into the shot and be perfectly focussed on the one target…"

He was giving her a tutorial, but she didn't mind. It was cute…him thinking she needed one. As his arms drove forward suddenly, so did hers, and the stick connected hard with its target. The ball was pushed firmly forward…and landed perfectly into the socket in the far corner.

Devan turned around as Woody's grip on her slipped away. "I think after that demonstration, I can handle this on my own."

Woody nodded and stepped backwards down the stairs. "I'll go get our drinks."

He turned around and his eyes met with Jordan's. She had been staring at them both and a pang of guilt flooded through him then. She turned her head sharply around, and he thought he could see her eyes clouding over slightly. He walked over to where she was standing behind the counter, her hands grasping a cold glass of beer. He had been careless and it hurt her. Deeply.

Devan noticed this but turned back to the game. Nigel stared at her with worried, somewhat confused eyes. "Something wrong, Love?"

Devan looked up with a smile. "Paradise isn't all it's cracked up to be."

Nigel lifted his stick. "Ah, you and Woodrow. Listen Love; don't be afraid to try new things. There doesn't have to be a limit, you know."

Staring with slightly laughing eyes, Devan shook her head. "Should I be talking to you about this?"

"Oh come on, Love!" Nigel took a sip from his mug of beer. "Spread your wings. So, how far have you gone? First, second base?"

Devan laughed out loud at that. "Second, but hey, who's counting?"

Nigel bowed his head. "So what's the problem?"

She turned to look at Woody. "He is."

When he was standing next to Jordan, Devan in his clear view, he didn't speak but rather helped her with the beers. It remained silent between them, though Woody didn't want her to feel down about it. He wanted her to be happy again. Then he realised there were no words he could use to describe what they both felt so instead of trying to explain in detail, he held up her chin with one hand and let slip the two words that were gnawing at him.

"I'm sorry."

She nodded then, absorbing what he had said and accepting it. She had once told him to leave her alone…and he had. Right now they both had to be supportive of one another, so she smiled at him in reply. And he understood.

He took two beers off the counter and walked out, breaking her gaze gently. He walked back over to the pool table and rested the glasses on the edge of it, scanning over the game's progress.

He gaped at Devan. "Wow. You're winning."

Devan looked up from taking her shot, a sarcastic look gleaming in her eyes. "Woody, did you really think I didn't know how to play pool?"

Woody's laugh was interrupted by a microphone being tapped three times. Jordan's voice cut through the air clearly as she spoke directly into it, addressing everyone present as she did so.

"Sorry to interrupt everyone, but we have a special guest tonight with us. A live band has come to preform especially for the birthday boy, so Bug, sit back and enjoy! You've earned it."

Bug returned Jordan's warm smile and took a sip of his beer when a song began playing softly in the background. Nigel, followed closely by Devan and Woody, made his way down the stairs and over to the rest of the group as they listened to the introduction of the song. Devan smiled as the male vocalist began singing softly.

_**Oh, this is the start of something good  
Don't you agree?  
I haven't felt like this in so many moons  
You know what I mean?**_

_**And we can build through this destruction  
As we are standing on our feet  
So, since you want to be with me**_

_**You'll have to follow through  
With every word you say  
And I, all I really want is you  
You to stick around  
I'll see you everyday**_

_**But you have to follow through  
You have to follow through**_

_**These reeling emotions they just keep me alive  
They keep me in tune  
Oh, look what I'm holding here in my fire  
This is for you**_

_**Am I too obvious to preach it?  
You're so hypnotic on my heart  
So, since you want to be with me**_

**_You'll have to follow through _**  
**_With every word you say  
And I, all I really want is you  
You to stick around  
I'll see you everyday_**

_**But you have to follow through  
You have to follow through**_

_**The words you say to me are unlike anything  
That's ever been said  
And what you do to me is unlike anything  
That's ever been**_

_**Am I too obvious to preach it?  
You're so hypnotic on my heart  
So, since you want to be with me**_

_**You'll have to follow through  
With every word you say  
And I, all I really want is you**_

_**For you to stick around  
I'll see you everyday  
But you'll have to follow through  
With every word you say**_

**_And I, all I really want is for you to stick around_**  
**_I'll see everyday  
But you have to follow through  
You have to follow through_**

_**You're gonna have to follow**_

_**Oh, this is the start of something good  
Don't you agree?**_

* * *

Devan stepped into her apartment, Woody following not far behind. Flicking on the lights, Devan turned a casual look to Woody. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back in two seconds." 

She gave him a quick kiss before disappearing into her room. Woody stared after her before shrugging off his coat and hanging it on the rack beside him. He then took off his jacket and loosened his tie from around his neck, leaning against the couch and facing Devan's room. He flicked open his top button and untucked his shirt from his pants. Well, she had said comfortable…

Then she walked out of her room, staring at him with raised eyebrows. He just shrugged.

"You said comfortable."

Devan exhaled a sharp breath and walked towards him slowly, sliding her hands up his shoulders. "I did, didn't I?"

They both breathed each other in before Woody leaned down and kissed her deeply. As his arms found the small of her back, the kissing became quick and erratic, Devan walking backwards, leading Woody.

She tugged at his shirt. "You can take this off, too."

He didn't stop kissing her and when she found the chance, she whispered quickly. "Or I could do that."

Without their lips parting, Devan unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, opening it and sliding it off his back, revealing his bare chest. They reached her room and when Devan's back hit the door, she stopped kissing Woody to open it. He stared at her with knowing eyes, his look asking her what he wanted to convey. And with her own look, she answered him. She backed into the room, opening up the door. The hot kisses continued until she fell onto the bed, Woody over her.

With a quiet laugh, Woody placed a hand on Devan's hip. "You know, this goes against everything I was brought up to believe in."

Devan kissed him again before leaning back into the bed. "Yeah, so what? I was born and raised Catholic but that never stopped me in high school."

Woody breathed in. "I really didn't need to know that."

Devan leaned forward and planted a kiss on his chest. "Is your phone off?"

Woody nodded once. "Yeah. Yours?"

"Yeah." But just as she said that, the cordless phone on Devan's bedside table began ringing loudly.

Woody placed a hand to his forehead. "No, no, no, no, no, no…"

Wriggling forward to answer it, Devan escaped Woody's tight grip. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes…yes?" Devan stiffened when she heard the voice on the other end. With a quick hesitation, she calmly countered the voice's French accent.

"Allez-vous-en. Je ne peux pas parler." With that, she hung up, not even waiting for a reply.

Woody from beside her kissed her neck. "I love it when you speak French." Then, a long pause. "You were speaking French?"

Devan turned her head to face him. "I grew up in Canada, remember?"

Woody nodded, confused. "Yeah, but…over the phone?"

"You've never met my mother have you? Just one of my many tricks," Devan replied as she leaned over him and kissed him again.


	9. Interrogation

**A/N: **I've been lazy lately. Too lazy to update this so forgive me :) Well, here in Australia it's certainly been an interesting couple of weeks in television. Just saw _You Really Got Me_ last night and trust me when I say I will never sing that song the same way again. Great episode though, even the karaoke scene ;)

**FKW: **Ooh, I abbreviated your name. Hey ever wondered why they never abbreviated the word 'abbreviated'? Kinda stupid no? Anyway, thanks for the gratifying review; always nice to know you care ;) You kinda read most of this chapter but (try) to enjoy it anyway. And today, my hair is too tired to party. Luv ya!

**astacia: **Yeah I agree, go Woody and Devan! Now if only it had really happened in the show… ;) The French thing was fun to write (er…translate I mean) but it's not really all it seems…keep reading to find out (nothing like a bit of blackmailing…) :) Thanks for the review!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Crossing Jordan. And the song from the previous chapter is Gavin DeGraw's _Follow Through_.

Ok, with that aside, bring on the chapter! But before that, just a couple of quick notes. The first paragraph is written in Devan's point of view, mainly cause I wrote that away from home and I was sharing a room with my aunt and it was a little weird writing a 'morning after' scene with someone who wouldn't approve of it in the bed next to me. Lol, yeah strange I know. And the second little note, I wrote this chapter before I saw _Fire From The Sky_ so Devan's mother might be a little…weird. She acted completely over the top in that episode when she was talking to Jordan and the way she acts in this chapter is…well…different. Bleh, just read ;)

**Deception  
****Chapter 8: Interrogation**

* * *

_I woke slowly to a light tickling sensation on my stomach. I opened my eyes half-way and realised Woody was trailing a finger along my torso…and I let him. I didn't want to wake up, not just yet. I wanted to bask in the warming rays of the sunlight streaming through the lightly covered windows to my side. I wanted to forever listen to the song the birds created in the late morning. I wanted to melt into the embrace of the man next to me…then the alarm rang out suddenly, it's loud, monotonous tune drowning away all other thoughts…_

It bleeped. And bleeped. Neither of them made any effort at all to stop it; they didn't want to move. It was nine-thirty on a Wednesday morning and both detective and doctor were working afternoon shifts. So why the alarm had been set was beyond Woody's understanding. Becoming increasingly irritated, he leaned over Devan to slam a firm hand down angrily on the top of the clock, pushing down on it with unnecessary force. It stopped and he once again found silence.

Laying back and nuzzling his head into the back of Devan's neck, he asked in a muffled voice, "Why did you have to set that?"

Devan shrugged as best she could. "Force of habit."

Woody kissed her neck affectionately. "Well next time, don't."

At that Devan snapped her eyes open, turning around to face him. Raising an eyebrow, she whispered seductively, "Next time?"

He smirked at that. "Well…don't you agree?"

On the surface layer, Devan knew he was talking about the alarm. But underneath that layer…well he was talking about something else. She turned around and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. "There's a light next to me. It's almost blinding."

Woody raised an eyebrow. "It's the sun."

Devan opened her eyes slowly with a smile. "Oh yeah, that too."

Rubbing her shoulders, Woody looked down at Devan with serious eyes. Was this what he wanted? Even after last night…he wasn't sure. It wasn't the sun he was blinded by. "You're still gloating."

"Yeah," Devan turned around and thinned her lips in a smirk, "but because of whose misfortunes?"

Woody just smoothed her raised eyebrow with a running finger. He didn't have to answer that; it was pretty obvious who was missing out. "You hungry?"

Devan licked her lips. "Are you?"

Woody looked thoughtful. "I could do with some root beer."

Laughing, Devan shifted over to her side of the bed before sitting up with the sheets around her. "No root beer but there is coffee in the top draw. I'm going to take a shower. You want?"

Woody smiled at the thought. "Thanks, but I'll pass. I'll make breakfast."

"Looking forward to it," Devan quipped as she walked around the bed, still with the sheet around her. "Don't burn anything."

Woody laughed and watched her walk into the bathroom and close the door. A minute later he heard the water turn on and he made sure he knew Devan was in the shower before he stretched and sat up. He had pants on so he threw off the heavy feather doona and walked out to the kitchen. Filling the kettle, he switched it on and waited until it boiled. Upon searching in the cupboards for coffee, he heard someone behind the door knocking suddenly. And Woody stared at the door…then towards Devan's room where the bathroom was. She was still in the shower and someone was at the door. _Her_ door.

Reasoning that it might be important, Woody walked cautiously over to it and when he opened it, he was met with a pair of startlingly green eyes that looked so familiar it was almost scary. Before him stood a smiling older woman with short blonde hair…and Devan's eyes. It was so uncanny that Woody found himself peering into them curiously. "Can I help you?"

The woman's eyes faltered into a frown before she smiled once again. "Yes you can. Is this Devan Maguire's apartment?"

Her voice was soft. Woody found himself nodding scarcely. "Yes, is it."

The smiled continued to grow with a kindness that could not be false. "Then what are you doing here?"

Woody's own smile evaporated. This was Devan's mother! Looking down impulsively at his bare chest, Woody silently cursed himself for not putting on a shirt. "I'm, ah…D-Devan's…friend."

The woman nodded. "Yes, and I'm her mother."

_Shit_, Woody smiled through his teeth. Nothing _better_ than confirmation. "Uh…w-were you looking for her?"

The senior Maguire nodded and smiled warmly. "Yes, I was. Is she in?"

"She's in…in the shower," Woody found himself grimacing. "But you can come in and wait for her if you like."

"I would like," she said quietly.

Woody ushered her into the apartment while closing the door behind them. "Would you like anything? Tea, coffee?"

"Tea would be nice," Devan's mother glanced up before sitting herself down at the small table.

Woody let a breath out loudly as he heard the shower turn off, and then smiled innocently when Devan's mother gave him a studying look.

"So how long have you known my daughter?"

Woody thought as he poured water into three porcelain cups. "About eight months."

She lifted her eyebrows. "And you're close?"

Woody could only nod with a smile. He didn't trust his voice. When Devan suddenly walked out of her bedroom wearing jeans and a light red top, he shifted and lifted his own eyebrows. Devan broke out in a smile as she looked at Woody…then at her mother.

"I see you two have met," she said, quite loudly, before she gave her mother a kiss on either cheek.

Her mother nodded knowingly. "We have indeed."

As Woody walked over to her, Devan held out his shirt, which he took gratefully. Devan, with a smirk on her face, gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Woody quickly buttoned up his shirt while a light red blush appeared on his cheeks. Devan just sat down at the table next to her mother, her eyes still following Woody's.

"So, Devan," Mrs Maguire touched her daughter's shoulder, "tell me about your work. You're very committed?"

"My work," Devan said distantly, her eyes still focussed on Woody, "is going great. Sorry I couldn't get back to you until yesterday."

Her mother flicked out a hand. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you were able to get away from work to meet with me. Even if it is here."

Devan smiled then. "So what about you? Have you met anyone?"

The woman just laughed. "Me? Honey, after your father I've been done with men. No offence…?"

Woody came over with the tea while Devan helped him. Then he held out his hand. "I'm Woody. And none taken."

Devan raised an eyebrow at the obvious tension as they shook hands. "Woody's a detective. And my boyfriend."

Then it was Woody's turn to raise a surprised eyebrow. Devan's mother noticed this but she didn't speak on it. Rather, she steered the conversation to their work again. "So, I take it you two mingle a lot at work."

Devan gave her mother a smile, and then gave Woody a smirk. "Yeah, we…mingle."

When Woody smirked back, Devan's mother was quick on the intake. "Your fiancé called me last night, Devan."

Woody almost choked on the tea he had just let slide down his throat. Devan just stared down at the table with clouded eyes. "Ex."

Devan's mother's eyes softened then, her hand sliding onto Devan's shoulder. "Honey, he just wants to talk…"

Devan scoffed. "Yeah, like how he talked a year ago. Oh wait," she added sarcastically, "he didn't."

Woody sputtered next to Devan. "I'm just going to go…make the bed," he smiled widely, falsely.

When Woody was clearly out of earshot, Devan leaned in close to her mother. "You had to say that in front of him."

Mrs Maguire sighed. "You've only known him a few months…"

"And that's bad?" Devan raised her voice suddenly. "That doesn't make him any less important to me. I really care about him."

Dorothy Maguire gave her daughter a level look. "Devan, I only want to clear this. I can't keep getting phone calls from your ex for the rest of my life. You two need to sort this out."

Devan sighed and looked to her clock. It was ten past ten in the morning.

* * *

Woody sighed for the umpteenth time as he glanced at his watch…again. It was ten past three in the afternoon. He was in the interrogation room, Devan standing in the corner and Adam Moore sitting very still in front of him. Flicking his eyes toward Devan, who shrugged, Woody pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. This really wasn't working, this interrogation. 

"Mr. Moore, why did you murder your wife?" Woody repeated again, clearer this time. The man still didn't respond. "Was it because she got on your nerves, because she slept with another man, because…"

"Because," Moore suddenly glanced up from the table, his voice a cold whisper, "she killed the woman I loved."

"Victoria," Devan spoke from behind Woody.

Sweeping his gaze to the blonde, Moore stared at her. "Yes."

"Mr. Moore, you claim to be Catholic but," Woody laughed in silent hysteria, "you've done everything you were bound not to do. You had an affair, you murdered someone…"

"No," Moore clearly stated. "I didn't murder her; she murdered herself. By killing Victoria, she also confirmed her own fate."

Woody slammed down his palm on the table. "You committed the act of premeditated murder. You're a killer."

"Why didn't you make her suffer?" Devan spoke up from the corner. "Sodium Morphate induces a heart attack; she would have been dead within seconds. Victoria suffered though, didn't she?"

Moore stared forward, his eyes never blinking.

Woody rubbed his forehead. "You lied about that night Victoria was killed, didn't you? You didn't just leave when she told you to. Or more specifically, she told you something else, didn't she?"

The accused took a sip of his glass of water. "She told me she had called Kathleen, telling her she wanted to meet with her before she died. Kathleen agreed and showed up moments later, when I had gone," Moore took a deep breath. "I drove around for a few hours, just clearing my head. When I returned home I found the door unlocked. There was a note on the kitchen table next to the goat's antler I have. Both had blood stains on them."

Devan cleared her throat. "Why wasn't the antler there the other day when we came by? I know it was there the first time we talked to you."

Moore laughed and shook his head. "I cleaned it that night, washing the blood off. I didn't believe it; that she was dead. We hadn't seen each other since Kathleen left and when she called me that night, asking me if I could meet her at the park, I accepted. She looked so pale when I saw her…it was almost like a dream. She told me she was dying and that she wanted peace. She said that when she had called Kathleen, she had said the exact same thing. Peace. I couldn't believe she was dead, so I put the antler back where it used to be. It wasn't until you two showed up that it all made sense. Kathleen had killed Victoria out of spite. And it wasn't until then that I read the note. It said 'Now she has her peace'."

Devan swallowed hard. "Mr. Moore, we found the blood of an infant mixed with Victoria's. Do you know whose baby it was?"

Moore looked up at Devan's gentle voice. "Kathleen's. It was her sacrifice."

Woody frowned. "But…how? The medical report said she was infertile."

Adam Moore nodded, tears welling up in his almost bionic eyes. "Before she left, she told me she was pregnant. She said it was a gift from God. And I knew the baby could not have possibly been mine. She admitted that she had been having an affair, ever since she learned of mine. The next morning, she disappeared. I never saw her again."

"Until you met with her at the restaurant," Woody said tightly.

"I confronted her about Victoria's murder. She confessed."

Woody nodded. "You knew that so you came prepared. Once she had confessed and you had a chance, you slipped a tablet into her drink, knowing it would kill her."

Moore nodded slowly. "That's right."

Devan bowed her head before leaning on one foot. "Mr. Moore, we haven't been able to locate the body of the infant…"

"I did," Moore responded quickly, his eyes clouding over with tears. "I buried him."

Nodding, Woody took out of photo from the manila folder on the table. "We found these pictures of Victoria in her mansion. In this one," he pointed to a particular photo, "she's pregnant."

Moore looked at the photo carefully. "That was taken two years ago. She lost the baby and that was when she turned to me. We had known each other all our lives."

Woody and Devan were silent for a long moment, so many thoughts unspoken between them. At last, Woody was the one to break it. "Adam, do you realise the charges you face? If you plead not guilty in the courtroom, you will be looking at a life sentence. However, if you plead guilty then those charges will be lessened…"

"I'm not guilty," Moore's green eyes locked with Woody's sapphire blue ones. "I'm not guilty."

* * *

Woody exhaled loudly as he and Devan left the interrogation room, with two other officers escorting Moore back to his cell. What they had heard was a confession, but Moore had claimed he was indeed not guilty. Well, they had the evidence to put him away for life but it did seem in a way that he was vindicated. A murder for a murder. 

Devan sighed and looked to Woody. "What do we do now?"

Woody shrugged. "Wait until his arraignment in three days. That's all we _can _do."

Devan nodded and smiled. "I'm going to go back to the morgue; I have another body to work on."

Smiling, Woody quickly kissed her. "I'll drop by tonight." Then his smiled disappeared. "Your mother's not going to be there, is she?"

Devan shook her head. "No. At least I hope not."

"Good," he breathed.

Devan crossed her arms and looked down, smiling. "I'm…sorry about this morning. I honestly forgot she was coming."

Woody raised an eyebrow. "Forgot?"

"Well," she looked up sheepishly, "I didn't know we were going to…you know."

Woody nodded and smiled. "Don't worry about it. Apart from the fact that I looked, literally, like an idiot in front of your mother, I'm fine. Just scarred for life."

* * *

Murder, lies, deception, betrayal…they had seen it all. They had seen it enough to know how it all worked, and how simple it could be to deceive someone. All that had to be done was lie to someone so they would believe you. That's all it took…lies. That was the essence of deception. 

Woody stared at the phone that lay before him across Devan's desk. His hands shook…but he didn't know why. Had it always been a lie? Were her feelings for him just a ploy, a way just to make her forget about _him_?

She walked in then, flinging the doors open with a frustrated sigh. When she looked up, she smiled at him and walked over. "I think I've just about had it with the coffee machine…"

He didn't laugh at her joke. Didn't smile in return. What he did, though, frightened her. He stood viciously from the chair and threw out his arms. "Once again it's all about you! No consideration for others, just what makes _you _angry or frustrated."

Devan stood back with wide eyes. "What? Woody what happened?"

"You want to know what happened?" Woody took a step towards her, his arms still outstretched and his eyes angry. "Your fiancé just called your phone, that's what happened."

Devan sighed and rubbed the back of her neck with her hands. "Ex."

Woody lowered his voice to a cold whisper. "Whatever. The point is he called looking for you, said you two had 'unfinished business'."

Looking away angrily, Devan's eyes turned into a glare. "You answered my phone?"

He laughed in what was close to hysteria. "Yeah. And you know what, he didn't sound French but that's how he initially spoke. In _French_."

The angry exchange of words were heard by Jordan, who stood outside of Devan's office, her head turned away respectably, but she still listened…and wondered what was going on.

"Woody…"

"You lied to me," he raised his voice again. "You said that your _mother_ called last night. But she didn't, did she? It was your ex."

Devan sighed again. "So what if it was?"

Woody walked forward once again, his eyes concentrated solely on Devan's. "You lied to me," he said slowly.

Instead of walking backwards, Devan leaned in close to Woody. "What the hell was I supposed to say? Hey, Woody? My ex just called and he wants meet with me to tell me how sorry he is for sleeping with another girl the day before our wedding? Makes for wonderful pillow talk, doesn't it?"

Woody's eyes softened suddenly, his arms dropping to his sides. He closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. "I'm sorry. I overreacted. I didn't know about that."

Devan stifled a sour laugh. "No, of course not. Because I never told you, right? Woody, we were just starting to work and when he called it set me off; I didn't want to think about him because I was with you."

Woody smiled apologetically, placing his hands gently on Devan's shoulders. "This was our first fight."

Devan looked at him seriously, her eyes still smouldering with anger. "It's going to be our only fight."

And with that, Devan shrugged off Woody's hands and stalked angrily out of her office, pushing past Jordan who looked after her in surprise. Woody stared after her as well, his hand coming to rest on his forehead in regret. Then he noticed Jordan staring at him. Had she been there the entire time, while he and Devan had been arguing? With a quick hesitation, Jordan walked back the way she had come, leaving Woody to stare after her. He was alone once again.

**

* * *

A/N:** Hmm…the plot thickens…Just to keep you on your toes, Devan's relationship with her ex ain't all as it seems… 

Peace


	10. Poisonous

**A/N: **Long time no update…mostly due to my extremely crazy renovations (RENOS…lol) that have taken over my house. I don't like it. Ok, whatever. You know the deal; I update, you review (if you're nice :))

**FKW: **I've been very lazy I know, but I promise I'll review Saving Boston soon! It's just annoying cause I hardly have any Internet time anymore. Hope you're feeling better…take a Panadol…you'll find one under your pillow ;) Thanks for the review (I know how much it hurts you…)

**sammyq1: **Ooh, I have a new reviewer! Thank you so very much for taking the time, I appreciate it. Hehe…Woody will be tortured a little more don't worry ;) Thanks for the review and I hope to hear from you again:)

**Disclaimer: **Don't own it.

Ok…before I start, I just want you to remember the little things spoken in this chapter. They're little clues that will piece together in the sequel but they're very subtle…extremely subtle. But don't worry if you miss them cause they're not that important. I'm rambling, I know.

**Deception**  
**Chapter 9: Poisonous**

* * *

His eyes clouded over with anger as his hand slipped and the stick flew forward without direction. It missed its intended target, and even worse, it cost him the game. His opponent held up his mug of beer and drank to him as Woody placed a note of money on the edge of the wooden table. He walked slowly down the stairs and sauntered over to the counter, sitting down on a stool as he gestured for the bartender to fill up a glass for him. Rubbing his hand over his forehead direly, Woody heard the bells over the door ring out suddenly. He looked over and saw Jordan walking casually over to him.

She waved with a dry look as she sat down on the stool next to him. "What, Woody Hoyt abandoning the Pogue? He must be drunk."

Woody shook his head half-heartedly. "Not yet. Besides, everyone else is at the Pogue."

"Yeah," Jordan ordered herself a drink. "Except for me."

Woody laughed dryly. "You were."

Jordan smiled. "You know me too well. So," she looked around, "why this particular bar?"

Woody took a deep breath, looking steadily into Jordan's eyes. He decided to tell her. "This was where Devan and I came the night we first kissed. The night I realised…"

Jordan, eyes probing Woody's curiously, pretended not to care about what she had just heard. "You realised what?"

"I realised I was finally over you," Woody said clearly. "Even though she didn't think I was."

Jordan swallowed hard. "Devan didn't think so? Why not?"

"Because I broke the kiss," Woody replied. "She thought that it meant I wasn't over you, but it meant that if I kept kissing her, I might not be able to stop. And it was too soon for that."

Jordan looked away from his eyes, willing herself to not care. "But…you have…?"

Woody nodded. "Yeah," he stood suddenly from the stool, raising his voice. "Not that it really matters anymore."

Jordan stood too, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, pushing him gently back down. "Woody…"

He sat down heavily, exhaling loudly and taking a large sip of his beer.

Jordan sighed softly. "You should go home, Woody."

Woody nodded as he breathed in deeply. He watched Jordan stand and, after a genuine smile, walk over to the door. Woody waited a couple of minutes before he followed suit, sighing in slight defeat. Another night had passed him by…slowly and almost painfully.

* * *

Swallowing nervously, Devan closed the door slowly. In front of her Garret Macy sat in his leather chair, staring pointedly at her. "I got your message. You…wanted to see me?"

Macy nodded, his face shielded as he looked down at his desk. "I want to talk about you and Woody. This may be none of my business, or Jordan's, but she told me what happened three days ago in your office. I don't know what the disagreement was about, but I think you two need to settle down a little and talk about it. You can't keep avoiding him and hoping you won't meet his eyes when you're in the same room together. And you certainly cannot turn my morgue into an episode of Jerry Springer."

Devan sighed heavily and flicked her eyes around the room. "It's just hard to have a relationship when I need to keep some things silent. Sooner or later, he's going to find out about them and confront me…aggressively. Like he did a few days ago."

Garret leaned forward in his chair. "Your past is really none of my business but if you and Woody are in a relationship then personal demons need to be sorted out."

Devan inhaled and nodded. "I know. Which is why it's so hard."

"On a professional note," Garret added quickly, "Moore's arraignment is today. I know you're not making a formal statement, but you should go along and see how it turns out."

Devan dug her fingers into the pockets in her jeans. "I would but I kind of got the impression he doesn't like me very much."

Garret gave a half-laugh. "Ok. And good work with that case, by the way."

"Thanks, Doctor Macy," Devan smiled before she walked out of her boss's office. It seemed colder all of a sudden, now that she didn't share the room with the man who had offered her a permanent place at the morgue. He made her feel secure, and she was only just realising that now, after four months of knowing him.

And he was right…as usual. They really needed to talk out their problems if they were ever going to ease the tension that sizzled every time they were in a room together, which hadn't happened all that much, since Woody had been making an immense effort to avoid her. But if they ever were in a room together, they would stand at a large distance apart and try not to reach the other's eyes. And that was quickly proving a problem.

Glancing up at the clock above her as she walked, Devan noticed Jordan striding towards her. The two had been at odds for a while, though it had remained unacknowledged…until now. Jordan held out a hand in a terse wave before looking seriously at Devan.

"Could we talk?"

Devan nodded, knowing what it was about but trying to remain casual. "Sure."

They walked into Jordan's empty office, and Jordan shut the door behind her. "I know subtlety is not my thing, so I'm going to be blunt. I want you to back off Woody."

Devan stared incredulously. "Excuse me?"

Jordan's eyes remained serious. "You heard me. Back off."

The coldness of her words stung Devan, though she didn't show it. "I don't remember ever being _on_ him, so you can have him."

Devan's sarcastic voice made Jordan stiffen with anger. "He's really hurt because of what you did. And I'm not saying that it was any of my business but you cannot treat him that way."

Devan's eyes shifted. "And you're one to talk?"

Jordan's own eyes softened. "No," she began slowly, "but _he_ certainly isn't going to. You have a hold on him and he's not going to act on anger because he doesn't want to hurt you."

Devan leaned heavily against the wall, staring at Jordan with troubled eyes. "I know that. But…there are things that I have to keep from him, for his sake. And I know that's not very honest of me but _I _don't want _him _to get hurt because of my mistakes."

Jordan nodded slowly. "Tell him that. Anyway, I have to get back to work."

Her eyes turned away suddenly, cold once again. Devan felt confused but obliged reluctantly and turned towards the door, opening it without a backwards glance. She had somewhere to be anyway.

* * *

The room's coldness immediately struck Devan as she crept into the back of the courtroom quietly. There was tension, and a frosty air about her when she slid into the end of one of the pews, looking quietly upon a standing Adam Moore, with the judge sitting in her chair almost proudly, though Devan didn't know why. She was just about to devastate someone's life. And Devan didn't see the difference between that and murder. The only difference between being guilty or not was vindication, not only felt in oneself but in others as well.

"Mr. Adam Moore," the judge's hard-edged voice rang out clearly. "You are being accused of murder in the first degree. How do you plead?"

There was silence for a long time. No one moved and breaths were sucked in as everyone present in the room waited for the response. Devan especially hung on the man's very words, as what he had told her and Woody three days ago could surely not exonerate him in front of the jury when there were people ready to persecute him. All he had to justify his actions with was self-righteousness. And that wouldn't work in the court of law.

Devan let out her breath when she heard his words, loud and clear.

"Guilty."

Then, it was all over.

* * *

The morgue was quiet once again as darkness loomed and the shadows of night hung in the corners eerily. There was no chaos or rush and the halls whistled as faint noises rose from many of the rooms where members of the night staff were checking bodies or doing paperwork. Lily sat in a cold, dark conference room, a certification letter resting between her fingers steadily. As she read over each word again, the realisation seeped into her. She was safe.

Hearing a noise suddenly, she looked up, only to see the door open and a sullen Devan walk through it. "Hey, Lily."

Worried at the doctor's pale tone, Lily stood up from her chair. "Devan, what's wrong?"

Devan inhaled sharply as she took a seat a couple away from Lily's. "Ever had one of those days where you cannot for the life of you figure out what's happening?"

Lily sat down with a quiet laugh. "Almost every day. What happened with your case?"

"He pleaded guilty," Devan sighed. "I don't really understand it. One minute he's saying he's not, then the next he's ready to give up his life for something he didn't even believe he was guilty for."

Lily shrugged. "It happens."

The two remained silent for some time until Devan's eyes deepened into a frown. "Lily, this may be out of order, but what happened between Jordan and Woody?"

Lily's face shrunk in suddenly with confusion. "They have…a lot of baggage. And I don't think we're ever going to learn the real truth about them, but they're just really close friends. I mean I do know that they kissed once in California, but they decided to leave it at that. Woody has done _so _much for her that I don't think there's anything he wouldn't do to protect her. That's kind of what he does, he protects her. She really appreciates that. Why do you ask?"

Devan looked down with a stifled laugh. "Jordan told me to back off Woody this afternoon. She talked to him and apparently he's really hurt about something I did. Or…didn't do. I kind of got the feeling she wanted me to leave him alone."

"Well it's little doubt that Jordan's feeling maybe just slightly possessive," Lily gave her a level look. "I mean, she and Woody had a good thing going as friends, and then suddenly Woody's chasing you. After three years of attention from him, he's lost to her. You have to understand it from Jordan's view as well, not just your own."

Devan leaned back into her chair. "I know and I get that. But what I don't get is why she has to make it her business when it's not. In all honesty, she has nothing to do with this."

Lily gently looked into Devan's eyes with her own. "Maybe she does. That fact that you and Woody can't work this out without having to involve Jordan, I think that's saying a lot. Maybe you three need to talk about it. As civilised people."

Devan stood from her chair with a smile. "Maybe you're right." Then she frowned. "This won't leave the room, will it?"

Lily smiled warmly. "Your secret's safe with me."

"Good," Devan breathed. "By the way, what are you doing in here? It's so dark…"

Lily laughed and held up the piece of paper, which was a certificate for a sent restraining order. "Ex issues."

Sending a knowing look, Devan nodded. "I know how that feels." She walked over to the door, opening it slightly, and then she turned back with a probing look. "I'm working late tomorrow, but if I'm not back in time for my shift and if anyone asks, tell them I'm meeting my ex-fiancé for drinks."

Lily's look thinned into a worried one. "Good luck. Hope it turns out for you."

Devan laughed slightly. "Thanks. If I'm not back tomorrow then I'm dead."

A joke with little substance bordered on the edge of fear. Devan waved goodbye as she walked out of the door…only to face Macy. He looked at her with confused eyes.

"What are you still doing here? Your shift finished an hour ago."

Devan smiled at the older man's probing eyes. "I had some stuff to clear up. I'll see you tomorrow."

Garret nodded with his own smile. "Goodnight, Devan."

He watched her walk slowly down the corridor before he walked into the conference room, where Lily sat almost in darkness. "Don't you know that's bad for your eyesight?"

Lily looked up with a smile. "My eyesight is fine, thank you very much."

Macy laughed and took up a random seat. "What was up with Devan?"

She flicked her eyes around confusedly. "Nothing."

Tilting his head disbelievingly at her lie, Macy shrugged. "None of my business, right?"

Lily sighed. "Men issues. Both of us."

Garret nodded knowingly. "Her and Woody."

"Not just Woody," Lily said with a small look. "You know…we're lucky to have her. She may not have been the best person to have around when she first started here, but she really cares about what people think and feel. I'm glad you kept her."

He smiled with a small nod. "So am I."

* * *

He stood holding the open door, wearing an expectant look and a cooking apron. He looked absolutely ridiculous. Reading into her humorous look, Woody held up the wooden spoon he was holding in his other hand. "I'm mourning the ten-year anniversary of my dead fish. We're having Mexican."

She laughed at his false seriousness. "_We _are?"

Woody nodded solemnly. "Yeah, they're here in spirit. I'd exhume the three bodies but that would involve having to dig up an old cat, so I thought better of it." He paused and looked at Devan with serious eyes. "I'm sorry."

Devan smiled. "I'm sorry, too."

He breathed with slight relief. "I'm glad we agree on something." With a slight hesitation and a hopeful look, he opened the door wider. "I didn't make enough for two but I'm sure we can work something out."

Devan smiled appreciatively and walked through the door of his apartment, looking around for the first time. "I'm a light eater, anyway."

Looking at her slyly before walking into the kitchen, Woody smirked. "I know you are. But if you do get food poisoning, remember that you made a choice to eat it."

Devan leaned against the bench in the kitchen, looking closely at the chilli Woody was preparing. "I don't know about that. I could just say you forced it down my throat."

Woody held out the wooden spoon to her with a small smile. "Then I'd deny it."

She took the spoon in her mouth willingly, the chilli immediately sizzling on her tongue. "That's good. Maybe just a tad too much spice but other than that, I only hope it's not poisonous."

Untying his apron from the back, Woody left the chilli to cool down and walked over to Devan. "I missed you."

Devan allowed him to pull her close, embracing her in a tight hug. "I missed you, too."

Pulling back after a moment, Woody brushed a few stay hairs away from her face with his fingers, lighting tracing her face. "What happened before shouldn't have. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions like I did and if we're going to make this work then I have to respect the fact that you might not want to tell me everything."

Devan nodded. "If we're going to work out then we need to talk about it. But only after I've sorted it out."

Woody smiled warmly. "Alright. We'll talk when you're ready to."

"I don't want to talk," Devan shook her head. "Not tonight."

* * *

**A/N: **Aw…sweet. Well, next chapter will be in Woody's point of view so don't be confused…you'll get it once you read it. Love n' stuff, AB :) 


	11. Sweet Surrender

**A/N: **The second-to-last chapter is here! Ok, this is basically about the morning before Devan dies, and is told through Woody's point of view. And I kinda wrecked myself with this because I realised that during _Fire From The Sky_, Woody actually says he saw Devan three days ago, and this is actually the day she died…but you can't blame me; blame Australia for holding off the rest of the fourth season until February...

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Crossing Jordan or the song "Sweet Surrender" by Sarah McLachlan.

**FKW: **Grab a tissue. That's my warning. Lol, nah you probably won't cry in this one cause it's all about Devan and Woody and has nothing to do with Jordan. Anyway, thanks for the ever-faithful review and I apologise for making it painful for you ;) Oh and drugs are cool. I'll cya Monday :)

**astacia: **Thanks for the review! And don't worry, Devan's ex doesn't really do anything bad to her…but you'll have to wait for the sequel to find out what actually happened cause this is the second last chapter. Thank you again for the review :)

**xoRetributionxo: **Ooh another reviewer! Thank you thank you! Lol, it'd be interesting to do a survey to see how many people actually liked Devan ;) Anyway, thanks for the review and I hope to hear from you again! Keep reading :)

Ok, sit back and enjoy the ride!

**Deception  
****Chapter 10: Sweet Surrender**

* * *

**November 14, 2004...**

The first thing I felt was coldness beside me. The sun streamed down in golden rays onto her pillow when I opened my eyes…to find her not there. The sheets and covers were in disarray and the pillow was creased immensely. The cold crept over to my side and bit into me even as the rays of sun blinded me from behind. There was no escape from the dreaded coldness of morning so I shifted into a comfortable sitting position and sidled further away from her side of the bed. I glanced a look at my bedside table to take in the time, which was nine-thirty, and found a small piece of paper with her name signed at the bottom. I took it and read it carefully.

_I'm working late tonight but I thought I'd get an early start. I'll see you tonight, bring the Chinese. Love Devan._

Love. Was that how we both felt?

_**-It doesn't mean much, it doesn't mean anything at all**_

_**The life I've left behind me**_

_**Is a cold room**_

_**I've crossed the last line, from where I can't return**_

_**Where every step I took in faith**_

_**Betrayed me and led me from my home-**_

I touched my cheek impulsively, wondering whether or not I hadbeen dreaming when I felt her fingers brush lightly against my skin. Her touch was so soft…unlike anyone else's. Not only did it make me feel safe, it made me feel special. She could always do that, though; make me feel special. And she did that with her eyes…the way they looked at me. She did that with her lips…the way they kissed me. She did that with her voice…the way it spoke to me. Everything about her was so unique and so incredibly independent from anybody else that even the thought of her being with me made me feel amazing.

_**-Sweet, sweet surrender** _

_**Is all that I have to give?** _

_**You take me in** _

_**No questions asked-**_

But she was gone and I felt hollow. The thought of her not being there when I had woken up disturbed me, though I didn't know why. I guess it was because she had been there when I fell asleep and it didn't seem complete without her here now. I had watched her last night, the way she often flinched in her sleep and turned away, kind of like trying to turn away from a nightmare. Everything about her was so detailed and fresh in my mind it was as if I could almost visualise her beside me, staring at me with laughing eyes like she always did when I joked around.

_**-You strip away the ugliness**_

_**That surrounds me** _

_**You are an angel** _

_**Am I already that gone?-**_

Or the way she looked at me with worried eyes when I would talk about my family. She didn't openly sympathise and I was grateful for that, but I could tell she felt my pain in part and that made me feel loved. It was as if she knew what I was going through and could comfort me in a way no one else could, both emotionally and physically.

_**-I only hope that I won't disappoint you**_

_**When I'm down here on my knees-**_

I remember once I looked into her eyes and I could not look away. It was a serious moment and the two of us had been sobered with the startling revelation that what we had, no one else had. Her lips were partly open in a small smile and her green eyes looked deeply into mine. I was lost in them, those pools of mesmerising emerald liquid. I was stilled, I didn't know what else to do but stare into them.

I slowly slid back into the bed, the thin sheets coming to rest over my chest. I leaned back heavily into the mattress and breathed in, taking in immediately the scent of her perfume. It still lingered, after hours of her being gone, and I was taken by it. It was a lavender scent, and one I immediately identified with her. She often wore it, but I remember the first time we had met I could smell it on her. It was her scent.

_**-And I don't understand**_

**_By the touch of your hand -_**

The way she could bring me out of myself when I felt like I was the only person alive was unmistakeably her. No one else could do that like she could. With her I didn't need to know how I looked, or what tie I was wearing. With her I felt like I could give her the key to unlock that dark basement that I had been locked in years ago when I was surrounded by tragedy. And I knew she wouldn't turn the key in the hole. She was too smart for that. She knew about my parents, about my brother…but she didn't need to know about darkness. She only wanted to know about light. She wouldn't open that basement even if I begged her to.

For years I had been this dark wick that stood firmly in the middle of a candle. I had waited for someone to light me. Devan had.

_**-I would be the one to fall-**_

And it was so much more than an attraction. She listened, she helped, she healed.

_**-I miss the little things**_

_**I miss everything-**_

Opening my eyes again to the light that was the sun, I saw a shadow when I blinked. It was of a woman, kneeling down to help me. Sowing up the wounds with her fingers. Mending me into completion again.

_**-It doesn't mean much**_

_**It doesn't mean much at all-**_

A tear welled up in my right eye and I didn't know why. I didn't know what it was for. But it was there…and it toppled over the edge of my eyelid, sliding slowly down my cheek and leaving a stained trail.

_**-The life I left behind me-**_

Closing my eyes again, I summoned a picture of her. She was looking out of a small window, staring down at the clouds below her. Her emerald eyes were determined and set. She was ready for whatever is was she had to do.

_**-Is a cold room-**_

I needed to see her again. Soon.

* * *

**A/N: **And of course we all know he never does…or does he? You'll have to wait for the sequel, but in the mean time I'll be posting the last chapter of this in a few days. It'll be in Devan's point of view and kind of follows the same path as this chapter.

Peace guys.


	12. Beautiful Goodbye

**A/N: **Ah my last chapter. In this chapter, I like how…innocent it is. There's just something about it. I'm really not making any sense but I don't really care ;)

**FKW: **I'm listening to Jem again…over and over again. It brings back memories of a certain entertaining episode in which the ending had me smiling…a lot. Hmm…I have to say I'm looking forward to your posting tomorrow…should be interesting ;) Good luck with it and stay out of the sun, smile more and frown less! Na na na na na nightmares! Luv ya as always :)

**xoRetributionox: **Thanks for the review! Um…the sequel is called "Twice Deceived", so look out for it ;) Hope you enjoy this last chapter though :)

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Crossing Jordan, or the song "Fear" by Sarah McLachlan.

Ok, with that said, all enjoy it!

**Deception  
****Chapter 11: Beautiful Goodbye**

**

* * *

**

Morning broke through the curtains and I stared through them. The sun poked through the patterned holes in the soft material and I swallowed. I knew what I was going to do. It was called deception on so many levels but I justified that by believing it was an act of love. And faith. Then it was not so much deception but a leap of faith. He breathed hollowly beside me, his chest heaving with each calculated inhale and exhale. His arm lay underneath my back, his hand resting protectively on my stomach. I lay still next to him, not daring to move until I had to.

**_-Morning smiles_**

**_Like the face of a newborn child Innocent, unknowing-_**

I flinched as I watched the numbers on the clock change. All of them changed at once and it was now six in the morning. My flight was in three hours. I shifted, shrugging his hand carefully off my stomach. Sitting up slowly, making sure I did not wake him with my movement, I stepped out of the side of the bed.

**_-Winter's end_**

**_Promises of a long lost friend_**

**_Speaks to me of comfort-_**

I dressed myself quickly before walking out of the room and collecting my fawn coat off the rack next to the door of his apartment. I dug my hand into its deep pocket and found the bottle of perfume before walking quietly back into his room, my coat hanging limply over my arm. As I reached his side of the bed, I pulled out the top draw of his bedside table. I found what I needed and picked it up, scribbling on it rough words. I put the pen back into the draw and closed it slowly, making sure it didn't creak.

**_-But I fear_**

**_I have nothing to give_**

**_And I have so much to lose_**

**_Here in this lonely place_**

**_Tangled up in our embrace-_**

When it did though, he flinched in his sleep and pinched his eyes closed, before relaxing again and seeping in the morning. When his breathing returned to normal I walked back over to the side I had slept on, sitting on it and leaning over Woody.

**_-There's nothing I'd like_**

**_Better than to fall_**

**_But I fear I have nothing to give-_**

I touched his cheek and traced along the outlines of his face with my fingers. I brushed against his skin lightly, willing silently for him not to wake up. Unbroken, like a child. Innocent, like a child. Asleep, like a child. But he wasn't a child. He was a man with many demons. In his sleep though, those demons didn't exist. He dreamt of angels. He had his light.

**_-Wind in time_**

**_Rapes the flower trembling on the vine_**

**_Nothing yields to shelter it_**

**_From above-_**

I dreamt of demons. I had my darkness. And the only way that would evaporate was if I did this, met with _him_ to clear everything. Then I could join Woody in his dreaming, sing and fly with the angels like he did.

**_-They say temptation will destroy our love_**

**_The never ending hunger-_**

His lips twisted into a smile suddenly…and I felt myself smiling back, even though I knew he couldn't see me. I ran my fingers over his forehead, brushing unruly tendrils of his hair away from his closed eyes. I let my finger slip across his nose softly and then run over his lips. They were open as he breathed heavily.

**_-But I fear_**

**_I have nothing to give_**

**_I have so much to lose_**

**_Here in this lonely place_**

**_Tangled up in our embrace-_**

As long as I had this cloud looming over me we both wouldn't move forward. I had to get closure somehow and doing this seemed like the only way to get what I both wanted and needed.

**_-There's nothing I'd like better_**

**_Than to fall-_**

I was falling in love…but something was holding me back. Something I needed to cut off. And until then, I had nothing to give to him.

**_-But I fear_**

**_I have nothing to give_**

**_I have so much to lose-_**

Sliding off the bed, I gave him one final look before I walked towards the door.

**_-I have nothing to give_**

**_We have so much to lose-_**

We were going to see each other. Soon. But for now, this was a beautiful goodbye.

* * *

**A/N: **On an ending note, I would like to say a huge thank you to the people who reviewed this story, and even to those who read it but didn't review. Without you guys there would be no story :) Thank you.


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